Fate - Avius Phantasma
by BugDevil
Summary: Six years after the events of the 5th Fuyuki Holy Grail War a new ritual is taking place in the city of Matsumae. Isao Collingwood, a wandering magus, is chosen as a Master and dragged into the war by circumstance. The Masters all vie for the omnipotent wish granting chalice once again. Shadows of the past will follow them at every turn. But by who's design? Nothing is as it seems.
1. Prologue

**Let's get a few things out of the way immediately.  
**

 **1\. This story takes place after the Unlimited Blade Works route's Good End/Sunny Day ending.**

 **2\. I am a Type-Moon fan, but my knowledge is limited to the translated works and of course I am not beyond making mistakes. If there are any inconsistencies with the Nasuverse's established logic, please chalk it up to AU discrepancies (lol).**

 **3\. There is no way I can keep up with all the new Servant releases across the Fate spin-offs, so if I happen to contradict the depiction of a Servant in the franchise, refer to point 2.**

 **4\. Despite this being a Fate/Stay Night fanfic, I will mostly only deal with OCs. The connections to F/SN will become clear later on.  
**

 **5\. I am always open to discussion and answer questions (as long as they don't involve spoilers).**

 **6\. It's going to be long. I orientate more on the Visual Novels than on the abridged anime adaptations.**

 **7\. Have fun ~**

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

A single step can bear the weight of a thousand.

When the forest's cries hushed completely, he knew that something was wrong. Unnatural silence more unnerving than the howl of any beast surrounded him. The only noise his ears perceived was the low and pained breathing of the woman on his back.

Another harrowing step made him realize that his wounded leg was starting to give out.

 _Her_ breathing was shallow.

The next step sent a numb pain up his spine. The blood trail he left behind was evidence to his fading strength. The rocky dirt road was marked with the trail of his dragging feet.

They had found him.

Red eyes burning inside the shadows. Surrounded. Silent death.

"…come and get me already…" He growled between clenched teeth.

They had been following him ever since he had entered the forest. After he had pulled _her_ out of the fire.

 _The crash! Flames corroding the very being of the passengers! An inferno made by human hands, fueled by chaos and mistakes!_

His mind was fading. Flashes of the accident were passing by his eyes, yet he wasn't sure whether they hadn't truly been burned into his retinas.

They did not react to his taunt. Nothing affected their soulless eyes.

He raised his burnt left hand and put it to his chest. The _magic crest_ was flaring up. Prana was pulsating in his circuits. The flame of life had not left him yet. He could still fight.

 _ **Awooooo**_

A wolf howled into the moonless night.

It began.

The shadows took form. They encircled him more closely. Beasts with fangs and claws. Perhaps they truly were just flesh and blood wolves. Even if they were, the way they were acting was unnatural to the core. Quiet, beckoning, free of malice or desire.

He forced himself to keep moving. In the distance he could barely make out the spire of the local town hall. The village he had seen from above had been closer than he could ever have hoped. If only his body was not losing warmth so rapidly…

 _Swipe!_

In an unexpectedly painful effort he dodged the sharp claws assailing his back in the nick of time. His torn jacket was ripped open at his waist to leave yet another tattered hole inside it. Just a slight nudge forward would have allowed the scythe like claw to lacerate the woman's spine.

The sudden dodge had pushed him off balance and he stumbled on his feet. With a painful impact, only bracing with his bleeding arm, he managed to land without hurting _her_. He felt her bulging belly press against him. All his hazy mind could think of was to pray that the baby was not hurt.

Fangs buried into his supporting arm. The stinging pain should have made him pass out on the spot, but instead… the razor sharp teeth shattered! The shadow creature retreated into the pack without a yowl or cry.

He forced himself up on a large rock protruding from the leaf covered ground next to him. It displayed many sharp indents, similar to that of a wild beast's canine imprint.

Another beast jumped him from behind, but the man turned around and smashed its jaw with his soot covered fist. Against all odds the creature's skull was giving in rather than his human bones. The creature was flung straight into its brethren and rolled through the dirt.

The collision itself didn't even register in his brain, but the excess of energy was electrocuting his nerves. He could not last much longer. He gently sat the woman down from his back and touched her pregnant belly below her wide blue dress. From inside he could feel the baby kicking back. This small life was struggling as well.

"Link… Start." He whispered under his heavy breathing.

A symbol appeared around the woman's belly button.

The sound of steps tickled his ears. The monsters were moving about, but someone else had joined them. Those were the sounds of boots on the rough earth.

The woman slowly opened her teal eyes. Even this little action seemed to exhaust her immensely. Consciousness only returned ever so slowly.

"Dear…?" She asked with a distant voice.

"I'm sorry for putting this burden on you." He smiled apologetically and then pushed her over the edge of the hill. "Live with all your might! Only think of our child!"

The woman's eyes widened as gravity pulled her downwards and she started to lose control of her descend. She slid down the hill all the way to its foot while panicking.

"No… please no…!" She called out to him, but the darkness was getting thicker. She could not see him anymore with her blurry eyes.

Tears ran down her face as she forced her tired arms to drag her body away from the darkness. Each time she moved her muscles it felt like she had ran a mile. Her life force was draining. In her hazy mind she realized that she must have been under the effect of a grand ritual.

She needed to escape the area of effect no matter what! If life force was being drained from the affected… if it took equally from all in it vicinity then the baby would be the first to die.

Minutes passed with nothing but the sound of the body dragging over the ground. She had no idea how much distance she had made. All she could do was move ahead. Left arm… right arm…

Her legs were numb. In her panic and despair she had not realized that they were broken. Crawling like a pathetic slug across the forest seemed natural now. The baby had stopped kicking inside her. Her heart was crushed in fear.

Then her fingertips touched something solid. Not crude like the trees or rocks of the forest. Symmetry. Civilized. Prepared and crafted by tools.

She had reached the entrance of the village. And her hands were touching the cool pavement of the main street.

"H…elp…" She forced out a cry between coughs. Her lungs felt ablaze. This wasn't just because of her waning life force. The fire… the hot smoke… it had hurt her more than she realized in her numbed mental state.

Silence engulfed the streets. No lights were glowing inside any of the windows. This village was as quiet as a cemetery. Even on such an unsettling night, some people should have been awake. Some noise should have been made. Even a single light should have been shining through a crack.

She could feel the effects of the ritual diminishing the further she dragged herself, but it was still there. For normal people this might have been… deadly.

But not for a magus. Not for her. She still had to do as _he_ had told her. To live with all her might!

She raised her arm up to the wooden fence of a close-by garden. With almost super-human will she pulled her heavy body up only by the strength of her arms and leaned against the splintering wood. If she just made it inside one of these houses she could…

 _Ba-thump!_

A shock went through her abdomen. Like a small burning cut she could feel it.

The baby was coming. Labor had set in a while ago. Before the accident. How could she have forgotten? The pain had been so constant that she could not register it anymore.

She could not give birth right here… she needed a safe and warm place…

They say a mother's will to protect her child can give her unspeakable drive and power. To go beyond the limits of human feats. Something primal and fierce was taking over and forced the muscles and sinews to bear more weight, more strain than possible. The heart pumped more blood than the veins could usually bear.

The woman moved along the fence. Her sole objective to reach the doorstep of the house. And just as she extended her hand to reach the doorknob… she fell over. Instinctively she rolled on her back, to not harm the baby.

One last time she stretched out her hand for the entrance. The tip of her fingernails touched the cold surface.

Then she passed out.

* * *

Not too far away from the village, under the moonless sky, a man fell to his knees.

Dozens of gashes and cuts covered his torso and arms. His face was bruised and dirty. His hair that had been singed before was now blood crusted.

The magic crest's glow faded away.

As his right arm spazzed out in the throes of pain he fell forwards and lowered his head in front of the shadowed figure that had been watching the battle unfold.

The beasts were never thinning their lines, not matter how many he killed. This fight had been hopeless all along. Even the last spark of resistance was fading from his soul.

The person finally looked down upon him with cold eyes.

"A nuisance to the end." The deep voice declared.

Then they raised one arm.

And without so much as a realization the battered and beaten man noticed that his chest was impaled. He had not seen the weapon, nor the way it had penetrated his body. He had been dead before he could even recognize his end.

"The trials are not yet over." The words echoed across the circle of darkness surrounding them. "I may have a use for you yet." The eyes glanced to the side. Towards an empty spot. Nothing was there. Nothing…

* * *

"Hrrrgh!" A painful gasp escaped the man as he opened his eyes in distress. Cold sweat ran down his face and he immediately went into a defensive position behind the tree he had been leaning on. His hands moved to his knife without hesitation.

"W-what has gotten into you!?" The voice of a young man made him turn around and he pressed the edge of his blade against the boy's throat. "It's me! _Satu_! Please do not hurt me Mr. Collingwood!" The tanned boy begged with fear in his voice.

Collingwood's bloodshot eyes checked the boy's soft features and basic garbs for any signs of danger. No hidden weapons, scrawny arms, barely reached maturity yet. If he was an assassin he did quite well with this disguise.

He sighed and retracted his knife. Of course he already knew this boy, so he shouldn't have been so alarmed.

"You… had a bad dream?" He asked with concern and pushed back the low hanging bangs from his face.

"Something like that." Collingwood replied curtly. He was still rattled from the vivid images of that… dream. Whoever that person in the shadows might have been, they had looked directly at _him_. He was certain of it.

"Mother has many charms that ward off evil spirits and nightmares." The boy said with a raised finger. He was entirely serious.

"…" Collingwood went through his sweaty hair and shook the last traces of adrenaline out of his body. Nightmares were nothing new to him. This one had just been especially abstract. As he lowered his hand he looked at the blue mark that crossed his skin and bones. Perhaps that dream was connected to this sign?

"The sun is low. The villagers will return to their homes and lock up soon. We can visit mother now."

"Go ahead. I will follow right behind you." By force of habit Collingwood stepped behind the boy and followed carefully. As they moved through the thick of the bushes and trees he looked out for any signs of anomalies. Ants were flooding through the leaves and into their hill, a frog was croaking in a small water hole, the birds above were chirping in strange tones… Everything was normal.

The setting sun was creating a red tinge in the sky which reflected in the rain drops on all the leaves around them. If he had felt any passion for nature he might have called it a beautiful sight.

"Does your hand still hurt Mr. Collingwood?" They boy started his usual small talk routine. He was never content with a few minutes of silence. His accent was also particularity grating to the ears.

"It has subsided already." He replied in the boy's mother tongue. This didn't pass him by, but he kept replying in English.

"Very good! Mother will look it up in her book and then lift the curse, I just know it." He reassured him again.

Collingwood pushed his branded hand into the pocket of his brown garb. The coat was old and worn, but much more pragmatic in these rain forests. He had been living in the backwater regions of this continent for so long that he almost felt like they were more familiar to him than his old home in England.

"I doubt it's a curse." He said curtly. Idle conversation was not his favorite. But Satu was very stubborn. So he contributed with the correction at least.

"Mysterious brand appears on your hand while sleeping? Sounds like a curse to me." He said with a serious nod.

The villagers in this region took curses and dark magic very seriously. For good reason as Collingwood knew. The boy's exposed back was covered in lizard like scales. His gaze became softer as he watched him swipe away a few vines with his bandaged arm. The boy was incredibly compassionate. Despite his condition he worried about such a meaningless trifle.

Collingwood felt unchanged. The sign on his hand resembled a three layered and interwoven star. It was dark blue and stood out immensely against his light skin. He had considered covering it with a glove, but then Satu had already noticed it. It was a shame that they had similar hunting spots.

"The village is right around this hill! Be careful that nobody sees us together." He reminded him.

"…" He averted his gaze from the back of the boy. It was obvious that Satu was saying it for his sake. The boy and his mother were treated as outcasts. An unnecessary concern. Collingwood never had any intention of getting chummy with the village elder and his followers. As far as they were concerned he was a barely tolerated intruder.

"Mother will be overjoyed to have dinner with the three of us again." Satu suddenly sounded quite cheerful. His smile was genuine and kind.

"I don't intend to impose on you…"

"Nonsense! It makes her very happy."

Collingwood ceased resistance and simply went along with it. Eating a few bites with them would not delay him too much. If he slipped out before midnight he would still manage to return to his cottage before morning.

"Mother said that she likes you a lot. You are an honest man, she said."

"She is too trusting for her age." He commented dryly. A lady in her 70s should not have been so open to strangers. Especially not with her circumstances.

"I think trusting others is the foundation of happiness." Satu declared with a raised finger and a smile.

Collingwood stepped on a fallen over tree and sighed. No matter where his travels took him, naïve people always seemed to cross his path. In spite of the fact that he had the hardest time dealing with that type. He pulled himself up on a vine and jumped over a hole in the ground, but mid swing he noticed something unusual.

"Smoke…" He said quietly and pulled Satu back by the shoulder.

"What?" The young man blinked a few times in confusion.

"Look. Black clouds behind the hill. The wind is carrying them to the east, which means the smoke originates from…"

"The village!?" Instead of taking it as a warning to be careful the news made him rush ahead even more.

He clicked his tongue. If he rushed after him blindly he would only expose himself to danger. It wasn't his business what happened to the village. If it was a fire that had taken a hold of the wooden houses with their straw roofs, then there was no saving that place. The flames would spread in seconds. The villagers would have to rebuild, but it shouldn't have been a death sentence.

Satu ran and slid over the hill with a desperate expression…

Collingwood leaned on his leg and closed his eyes.

If the village was destroyed he would lose a trading post. Yes, that was an acceptable reason. At the very least he should help the villagers to gain their favor. As unsympathetic as the elder was, he always repaid his favors.

Carried by a purpose he moved around the hill from the opposite direction that Satu went in. Just like he had said before, they shouldn't be seen together.

After passing the hillside he witnessed the inferno with his own eyes. The huts and houses weren't just on fire; they were being consumed in a fiery blaze! And worse than that…

"Ahhhh!" Screams. Sobbing. The last gasps of fading lives.

Villagers were spread over the dusty paths. Most of them were already dead. Others were still crying in agony with stakes pushing out of their bodies. This was a massacre.

For just a moment his mind returned to the dream he had earlier. The scene was completely different, but the feeling of helplessness and death was the same.

This wasn't good. No natural disaster was responsible for this bloodbath. And by the looks of it no normal _people_ either. A military force would have simply rained bullets on these poor people and have been done with it. These attacks resembled torture more than anything. Nobody was granted a swift death.

His legs stayed firm. He didn't even feel nauseous. In the past he had faced horrific sights. He had learned how to shut out his emotions and only focus on the task at hand. For now he would have to find Satu and his 'mother'. These people were beyond saving, but at least the boy should get away from this scene out of hell.

Collingwood sprinted between the gaps of the burning buildings and followed the mark he had put on Satu when he touched his shoulder. A novice spell with barely any accuracy, but it was enough to tell which direction to turn to. It was ironic that the boy who feared magic so much had been so close to a genuine magus this entire time.

As expected, the boy had gone for the hut of the village crone. His 'mother'.

Against all odds her hut was not set aflame. In fact it seemed bizarrely unaffected by the entire ordeal. The front door was swinging back and forth with a squeak. The hinge hadn't been oiled in a long time.

Satu's mark was close. It was almost certain that he was inside. Just a few steps more and he would see his hunched over back.

"…shit." He whispered with a hand on his chin. Call it a premonition, but he could already tell that he wouldn't like what came next. Like in an old horror movie he slipped into the hallway and followed the noises. The sounds of sobbing. On his way to the main living area he noticed dirty boot prints all over the wooden floor. Several people had entered here in a hurry. And according to the marks, they had also left again.

With a suppressed heartbeat he fully opened the door that had already been ajar.

"Tayca… Tayca... uwaaaah!" Satu's heartrending voice penetrated the stale air. Over and over he repeated the word 'mother' in his tongue.

Collingwood bit his lip. The old lady had passed away. But not peacefully. She had been robbed of her human dignity and crucified against the wall. For a second he remembered her old raspy laugh. A moment when she handed him a plate with food on a stormy night. The books she had always stuck her crooked nose into.

Without a word he pulled Satu away from the dripping corpse. There was no point in letting him stay with this gruesome sight. He protested at first, but his resistance was much too weak to struggle free.

Outside they covered their faces from the incoming smoke. The dark clouds were spilling their way, right with the wind.

He nodded the boy to follow him out of the village.

"I need to perform the rites for her!" He yelled over the sizzling sound of the flames.

"You can do that after we made sure the people who did this are really gone." Was his short reply before running towards the forest.

"I… I cannot believe this. Why would anybody do this… why?!" Satu cried again and fell to his knees just as they reached the hill.

" _Executors_. Hunting for possessed people and abominations." Collingwood said gravely.

"Y-you know these murderers?"

"Haven't had the displeasure of meeting them face to face yet. I am more used to _Enforcers_." He gritted his teeth. If these were really Church hunters it was obvious who they were after. For now he shouldn't betray his thoughts to the crying boy.

He was also bothered by something else. This was a remote backwater region. Nobody should even have known of Satu and the village crone. No matter how good they were at sniffing out heretics…

The ringing of a bell snapped him out of his thoughts.

Satu didn't react to the sound. He couldn't. It was only in Collingwood's head.

"My barrier has been breached." Back at his cottage someone had trespassed. The alarm was very clear about it. This couldn't have been a coincidence. "Satu, you will follow my instructions exactly as I give them to you."

"Mr. Collingwood what are you-"

"Quiet. Move towards the old cave where I hunted down the puma that killed off the elder's cattle. You remember its location I assume. Then you wait inside the cave for two days. Should I not arrive there at that time I want you to keep moving south until you reach the next village. There you will need to find a road that leads to the eastern forest. I left an old base behind around there. It has some basic shelter and tools, so you will be able to survive on your own."

"But-"

"There are no survivors. They never leave witnesses. You slipped between their fingers, so they will definitely return for you. Currently they are at my hut. So you should have time to escape."

"H-how do you know that?!" He held on to Collingwood's rugged coat.

"I have my ways. Now hurry!" He pushed him away forcefully.

"I cannot leave tayca without her last rites!" He refused with an angry expression.

"…" He scratched his stubble and became increasingly impatient. This kid wouldn't budge. He would get himself killed. But this wasn't his damn obligation! He owed them nothing. And the longer he stayed here the more likely the Executors would find his workshop.

"I want to… I want to understand the murderers. They must have had a reason…" Satu folded his hands and swallowed his tears.

"Listen. I will take care of your tayca. I learned the rites when she gave me a lecture a while ago." He suddenly crouched down and put both his hands on the young man's shoulders. "You know I never go back on a promise." His amber eyes met with the boy's.

For a few seconds he hesitated.

"Thank you Mr. Collingwood." He wiped his tears and nodded. In the end he trusted him after all.

"I have to return anyway, to get the book on breaking curses from your tayca. With that we are even." He turned away and walked off without looking back.

"Please come to the cave as soon as you can!" Satu waved after him and then ran off into the opposite direction.

Collingwood went through his dirty dark brown hair again and sighed. He really couldn't deal with the naïve types.


	2. The Hermit

**The Hermit**

* * *

Darkness spread like a veil over the sky above and swallowed the last remnants of daylight completely. A few clouds covered the crescent moon almost fully. The forest was never quiet, but today it seemed to be in an eerie mood. The croaking of tree frogs had never been this ominous before.

Collingwood moved carefully from tree to tree. He could already see the cottage that he called his humble home ahead of him. The building was far from professionally constructed. The old wood had seen better days and the windows were just simple planks with mosquito nets nailed to them, like the bars in a prison cell. In the last three years he had spent a considerable amount of time fixing and maintaining the roof with hammer and nails. He was many things, but a carpenter was not one of them.

The porch was covered in leaves and tree bark. A crude way to clean the boots after a weary journey. Now they were covered in many unfamiliar footprints. He recognized a few of them from the crone's hut. So they really had made their way to his hideout.

It was suspicious how easily they had found his abode. The bounded field wasn't high class, but it was at least able to hide any traces of thaumaturgy left inside the basement. Furthermore the barrier had been completely taken out. If someone was skillful enough to erase it this way, why did they make the amateur mistake of letting it warn the owner?

 _A trap._

It was clear as day. Unsure of whether they were simply overconfident or thought him to be an idiot, Collingwood leaned against the tree and looked around its curves. There was no light coming from inside. It had been two hours since he had received the warning about their forced entry. Meaning they were really waiting for him to check his belongings and research.

He exhaled slowly. Then he took a deep breath and ran straight for the main entrance! The door swung open with ease and hit the log wall with force. The moment he entered his home his eyes scanned every corner of the main room.

Table, chest, candles, shelves, tub…

Nobody in sight. Not hiding behind any of his furniture.

…ceiling, floor, bedroom…

Nothing. Their presence was completely erased from his perception.

…basement entrance.

It was completely intact. The hinge and keyhole looked just as they did when he left this morning. Light traces of dragging were engraved into the wood from the many things he had pulled down there. The floorboards were turning white and had already slightly given way at the edge. He had intended to replace them in the near future.

Slowly he stepped over the creaking floor. They were definitely not gone. Giving up on their prey was tantamount to heresy for Executors. Religious fanaticism aside, they were molded into killers at a young age. They had no other life or aspirations. He had no illusions towards their intentions. Even if they were after Satu, an unregistered local magus was not something they could overlook. If they really were down there to check his materials and research he could not tell from up here.

He pushed his garb aside and touched the trap door with his bare hand. Heat. The steel furnace was still smoldering below. The last batch of his work was already finished.

With a light kick against the lock he flipped the lid of the basement open. Under it was a rigid ladder. Inside his coat pocket he cracked his index finger. His mouth moved, but the words were inaudible.

Then he jumped down. The walls passed by his eyes in an instant and he landed on his right leg and left knee with a light impact. The basement was directly carved out of the ore vein below, so the walls and floor were all much more durable than the cottage above. The first thing he noticed were broken tools and the burning papers. The furnace was indeed still active and it had been fed with as much research material as it could possibly carry.

The second thing was not a thing at all, but a hooded person. Male from what Collingwood could tell by his build. The long mantle and hood were of a dark blue that almost faded into black. A white shroud was tightly wrapped around the man's shoulders. At this very moment he was throwing a vial filled with a silver liquid into the furnace. A sizzling sound accompanied by a small flash followed immediately.

The intruder didn't even react to Collingwood's return straight away. He wiped his gloved hands on the walls and formed a symbol on it. The wall was suddenly carved in with a black cross shape. The mark of a cleansed area.

"Are you certain you erased all of it?" He asked the man with a calm voice. He still had one hand in his pocket and walked across the room unperturbed.

" _Isao Collingwood_. Hermit and designated for sealing by the Clocktower Association." The man's voice was lighter than his bulky appearance would have suggested. He finally deigned it time to face Collingwood. His face was covered in scars. Oddly enough they managed to shape a stylized 'C'. There was perhaps even something of 'J' in there. Perhaps self-inflicted.

"That is Enforcer talk. When did the Church's Executors become the Association's lapdogs?" He smiled dryly. A single drop of sweat ran across his cheek.

"We have no intention of handing you over to them of course." The man said with his hands folded inside his long sleeves.

"Didn't think so." He felt a presence behind him. One more had appeared from above. "So I am an undesirable even to the Vatican."

"Do not flatter yourself. You are nothing to us." A female voice declared behind him.

"Yet they sent a trio of Executors just for me."

For a moment the scarred man's pupils shrank. Just a minimal change, but Collingwood still picked it up. Bullseye. He had simply guessed. Three enemies were not so bad, had they not been killing machines that could raze an entire village to the ground in minutes. He only blinked once, but in that fraction of a second the two Executors suddenly had thin almost needle like swords in their hands. They were dubbed 'Black Keys' and a staple of the Church's hunters.

"Where did you hide the possessed abomination?" The woman behind him asked a question he had expected, but not looked forward to.

"Possessed? You really think I would associate myself with something like that?" He raised his left hand and shook his head. "I simply want to live a quiet life. Demons are not in my circle of acquaintances." It sounded logical, even to him. Why did he spend so much time with someone like Satu, someone so completely opposite to a normal and quiet life? He had never managed to answer that question himself.

"We will find and eliminate it later." The man was unwavering. Clearly they didn't expect him to talk so easily. "Citro." He called out to someone who wasn't here.

No, there was someone. When did he slip into the basement? Collingwood hadn't even seen his movements. Not even a shadow.

"No more rooms above or below." The haggard young man said with a raspy voice. It sounded like he hadn't talked in quite a while. "Only one workshop."

"This ends our mission here." He said with a nod.

"You are just going to leave like that-" The moment Collingwood opened his lips a Black Key hit him in the chest. Straight into the heart. And from behind as well. The exact same spot. Their precision was out of this world. No normal human could have reacted to such an attack. The blades were stabbed deeply into his garb like the needles in a pin cushion.

"Amen." They said in unison. To them he was already dead.

They were of course correct. A man with a pierced heart could not survive.

That is, if his heart was truly pierced!

With a swift move of his right hand he threw his knife at the man that went by the name Citro. The light of the furnace was reflected on the other Executor's blade as it deflected the knife instantly in front of the hooded face.

They did not hesitate despite the impossibility of Collingwood's survival. Monster hunters were used to all kinds of miracles and impossible scenarios. Before the magus could even raise his other hand, twenty more Black Keys impaled him from every direction. The force of the impacts alone could have shattered concrete. These things were more akin to bullets.

"Urgh!" He felt a numb pain all across his body. They were much too strong. He hadn't anticipated this much velocity!

"Fall." The woman behind him had placed her blades right across Collingwood's neck, in a crossed position. Then she completed the pincer movement in a deadly arc.

"Ahhrg!" He cried out as the feeling of unknown pressure hit his lungs. He almost passed out, but instead of his neck, the Black Keys shattered!

"Protective magecraft." The woman said as she flipped back and pushed off the basement wall. Her agility was ludicrous.

There was no time to think, Collingwood simply rushed forward, several of the needle like blades falling out of the holes in his coat. They made a metallic sound as they hit the floor and each time the 'clank' sound repeated, another attack assailed him.

The force increased and he could feel his skin tearing. Their attacks were penetrating beyond his defenses!

"Reinforcement?" Citro whispered curiously. He was the only one who didn't attack. Perhaps he was not here for combat.

That was the only hope left to Collingwood. His preparation would be wasted should he die before he could make it to the furnace. He dodged a swipe from the right and rolled across the rigid ground. On the way he picked up his knife that had slid under a table.

A rumble went through the basement all of a sudden. The Executors hesitated for just a moment, enough for him to ram his shoulder into Citro and drag him against the wall. He flipped the knife and rammed it into the man's shoulder without hesitation. The Executor yowled in pain, completely unlike a hardened killer should. Blood splashed from his wound and he staggered back.

"Link… start." Collingwood forced out between heavy breaths as he kicked himself off the ground and ducked under an attack that was supposed to sever his neck.

A kick so heavy it might as well have been performed by a horse hit him in the chest and flung him against the metal door of the furnace. The pain was so strong that he lost orientation and simply sank down the hot smelter. He could feel his ribs crack ever so slightly.

"Quiet Citro, it is a flesh wound." The female Executor grabbed the knife to pull it out of the wailing man's shoulder.

"….gack…hhrmm…" Collingwood regained his vision and pushed against the furnace. Then he opened the door and shoved his entire arm inside.

"There is nothing left to save." The scarred Executor said with certainty. He wouldn't allow any special weapon to appear at the last second.

"There is one more thing…" Collingwood said between gasps.

"GYAAAAH!" Citro suddenly screamed in agony. The woman let go of the knife reflexively as it heated up to brutal temperatures. The wound was instantly cauterized by the very blade that had opened it up.

The three being distracted by this for even a moment left Collingwood an opening to execute his plan. He pushed himself inside the human sized furnace with all his strength. Even then a glowing blade still pierced his shoulder and sent an electric shock through his entire body. The scarred man had not hesitated nearly as much as he had hoped.

But he was already inside. The flames that should have consumed all flesh did not harm him at all.

Once again the entire basement rumbled and this time the shaking didn't end. Collingwood pulled out a small rock from his right coat pocket and crushed it in his fingers. The weak piece of pumice had provided no resistance at all. Triggered by this action everything happened at once.

The walls and ceiling of the basement crumbled like they had suddenly lost all consistency. Dozens of heavy pieces crashed down on the room. The already damaged furniture and devices were now completely ground to bits and the three Executors received a similar fate. Even with their super-human swiftness they did not make it to the ladder in time. And more importantly, the basement entrance had exploded off alongside the other walls.

The rumbling and crushing sounds were loud enough to hurt Collingwood's ears, but more agonizing were the screams of Citro as he was showered by rocks and buried alive. The other two might have let out painful cries as well, but they were completely drowned out by all the other noise.

Inside the crackling fires Collingwood lied and shut his eyes to listen to everything carefully. As the rumbling ended, dead silence encompassed all except the crackling of the furnace's fire. He opened one eye and saw a giant dent inside the hull. He had not prepared this trap perfectly. If he had been off even by one more centimeter the boulders would have destroyed the furnace as well.

He could not sit still inside the inferno of flames for much longer. He already started to feel the heat permeate into his skin. With desperate force he kicked the door of the cauldron several times. Nothing. Didn't even budge. That was to be expected. The other side was completely air tightly sealed off by rocks.

He rammed his elbow against the opposite wall. With a screeching the metal started to give in. Another hard punch finally made the plate burst out. There was a small uneven tunnel behind it. The flames poured out and alongside them did the bleeding magus who had voluntarily thrown himself into them. The furnace spat him out.

He huffed a few times as he crawled out of the tunnel and dug his shaking hands through a small earth hill above surface. The moonlight greeted him gently, like an old lover. The burnt smell coming from his coat made him realize that he had been singed in the last moment. More prevalently he noticed the pain from his still bleeding shoulder. The Black Key had dug deeply into it. It had been way too close for comfort.

He gritted his teeth as he pulled the thing out in one ragged motion. The blood sprayed over his coat and then the key landed in the wet grass. With a pounding head he ripped off some cloth from his shirt below the coat and pressed it against the wound. He had first aid tools inside the cottage.

His legs wanted to give in, but he forced himself to step inside his home again.

"Shit… shit what an imbecile I am…" He cursed himself. How cocky could he be? Somehow he had thought that he was at an advantage because this was his home turf. The fake workshop was a good idea, but to think that these monsters had even found his precious collection of charms and vessels…

He fell against a chair and pulled the cloth off to disinfect it with an elixir hanging from the wall. They hadn't destroyed it, because it was just a mixture of basic herbs.

As he bandaged himself up he looked up at the three _links_ of wood, iron and seashell hanging from the ceiling. They had all cracked. Basic catalysts were useless when he overstrained his spell like this. For his magecraft this much was a given. It was not made to work for long amounts of time or for many objects at once. Creating several spell chains like this was truly only possible by the use of such carefully crafted items.

By linking the 'concept' of the basement walls' durability to himself he had managed to withstand many deadly blows, but the main objective was to transfer the damage.

Even with all that preparation he had barely made it out…

The smoldering tree outside his window was a sign of just how hot the furnace had been. If the heat hadn't been deflected onto the ancient plant… He didn't even want to imagine the pain of burning alive.

He would have to leave soon. Three dead Executors meant revenge. More of their kind. Higher danger assessment. He just had made a real enemy out of the Church.

At least Satu was safe for now.

 _Crack._

He jumped up as he saw the collapsed basement entrance fly open. Pieces of rock were pushed out of the way.

' _Impossible._ ' Collingwood watched on in terror as a blood covered hand extended out of the hole. That scarred bastard couldn't possibly have been this resilient! There had been nothing down there to shield himself with. The room had collapsed from all sides. He had made sure that the fissures would burst open from the damage he received from his attackers. The link had been perfect. And even if that wasn't the case, he had burst the keystone that held the walls together!

"….sshhhhaaa." The Executor exhaled like a beast… and then his torso moved out of the hole.

It was the man named Citro. Of the imposing and deadly trio, how had this wailing weakling survived?!

His shadow covered eyes met with Collingwood's for just a moment, but that was enough to send cold a shiver down the magus' spine. Then Citro collapsed. He stayed unmoving.

"A power to read hollow spaces?" He swallowed and staggered towards the unconscious man. His guess was correct, as he could see a path between the only gaps had been shoveled free. Thankfully he had not managed to free his two comrades from the weight of tons of rock. Nothing was beyond them, so he considered that they might still be alive and _very angry_ in their new prison.

He dragged the unconscious Executor out of the hole and checked his body for weapons. None to be found. The knife he had so crudely rammed into the man's shoulder was still there though. When he touched it he almost burned his fingertips. It was still as hot as the flames of hell.

Without hesitation he kicked the Executor into the next room and tied him down with wires from the hunting utensils he traded with the village. At the very least he was confident that he was faster and more experienced in battle than this one. And telling by the amount of blood he had lost, he would probably not last the night.

He pressed his hand against the man's throat and squinted his eyes. He was still breathing, but he grew fainter.

"…" He glanced outside. The night was still young. "Dammit." Next he pulled out the hot knife with a rug covering his hand. Then he treated the man's wounds just enough to make sure he wouldn't die immediately.

After a while Citro opened his fallen in eyes. They were of a light azure color. Collingwood hadn't noticed it before, but the young man looked actually quite handsome. It only even registered with him, because someone in this line of work should not have been so fair skinned and well groomed.

"Devil…!" He exclaimed as he noticed the brown haired magus sitting across from him.

"Call me whatever you want. Just remember you are my prisoner now."

The man struggled heavily, but he twitched in pain every time. The wound would open again if he didn't stay put.

"You are not working for the Church." He said with a sly expression.

"…!" Citro frowned.

"I saw your family crest hidden on your solar plexus. A magus working with Executors? Not their first choice I presume."

"Your magecraft is as cursed as we had heard." Suddenly Citro's demeanor changed and he became utterly icy.

"Undercover Enforcer? Color me impressed." Collingwood was making idle chatter, completely unlike him. He needed time to think as well.

"They designated you a _Hermit_. That was a mistake. You are a _Philosopher_." Citro spat out.

 _Hermit_ was the designation given to runaway magi that the Clocktower had special interest in. Their magecraft or creations were something that needed to be preserved according to the higher circles. Hermits were not dangerous or at the very least not intend on harming outsiders. They simply passed on their teaching to their heir or died with them.

A _Philosopher_ on the other hand… Those bastards had no regard for innocent lives or covert operations. They only furthered their research at all costs and were a danger to all.

"I simply protected my hide. _You_ came for me, remember?" He felt insulted by the very notion of being a Philosopher.

"You nurtured an abomination and played with magecraft that can cause unforeseen destruction." Citro's accusations came from a dark place. He had seen many mad magi do unspeakable things. It was natural for him to assume the worst in a person.

"This is exactly the reason why I left the Clocktower. You are blind to anything but your own agendas. This 'abomination' is just a boy with an unusual body. Whatever possessed him at birth has been too weak to affect him beyond a few scales and a taste for blood." But Satu actually very much disliked the taste of anything but the blood of rodents as far as he knew. "You are no better than the village elder who tried to banish him after birth." Something inside him was burning. He had tried not to think of these things too much in the last three years here. But Satu's suffering was familiar…

"Your lies do not affect me traitor." The Enforcer stayed stone-faced.

"I didn't expect you to believe me." He sighed. With a crack of his healthy shoulder he got up from the chair and walked over to Citro. Then without warning he punched him straight across the face. A kick to the gut followed. That was just the opening to their little play. "I want to know everything about your mission and how you managed to find me."

"Pah!" Citro spat blood from his mouth and braced himself for the next impact.

"I may look like I am just bluffing." Collingwood pulled a lighter from his pocket and lit a lamp next to him on the table. "But I have every intention of torturing you until morning. If that isn't enough I will return tomorrow night for the second session. Meanwhile you can stay here and contemplate how long a person can last with just the bare minimum of hydration in the hot tropical sun." He tore off the blinds from the window, to let in more moonlight. It covered Citro completely… meaning the sun would do the same.

Then he pulled out a small needle from inside his coat's brim. It reflected the light almost unnaturally.

"One more thing." He put it right towards Citro's abdomen. "You must have known my specialty beforehand, but you underestimated it. Otherwise your two friends wouldn't be crushed inside my basement right now. I can link this needle to a fire." He flicked the lamp with his finger and suddenly a seal appeared on it. "Like I just did." Then he held the needle in front Citro's twitching eye.

"You… heretic…"

"I am sure you are aware of the custom to heat up tools and stick them into the tortured subject's body. It's an inefficient process really. The heat dissipates much too fast and then you need to pull the tool out and reheat it. The injury opens and gets cauterized again and again." His words were monotone. "That won't happen with _this_ needle. I will insert it once and it will burn inside your body until I stop the link to the flame or the fire dies out."

Citro looked horrified. He was clearly used to pain, but he had never been tortured. Collingwood could see it in his fearful eyes.

"I… will never speak…!" He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes. And he gasped as the needle entered his abdomen. The needle itself was so thin it barely pricked, but the heat it exuded was torturous.

"You can be at ease; I have some experience with treating injuries, so I know how to miss your vitals." He said with a cold expression.

"Ahhh… gaagahhh…!" Citro was bravely enduring his suffering.

"I am impressed. You are taking that first needle quite well." He complimented him sarcastically.

"You can't break… t-the _first_?" His voice broke.

"I have a limit to how many things I can link of course, but you see, these needles are my Mystic Code." He pulled out five more from his coat. "So there is no limit to how many of these I can use." His voice was as frightening as death itself.

"We traced you by the Command Seals on your hand!" Citro shouted with a broken voice and spirit.

"This mark is a _Command Seal_?" He looked at the star sign on the back of his hand curiously. That term rang a bell. At some point he had heard about something like that. The memory was escaping his grasp.

"You didn't even realize it yet?!" The tied up Enforcer mustered him like he was an unbelievable fool.

"They appeared three days ago. You arrived awfully fast." Using a plane and off-road vehicle, the travel time here would just line up though.

"The Grail chooses without pattern or regard to our will. This time we were fortunate to receive this location by tracking the Seals." Citro explained with a resigned voice.

"Are you saying I will be permanently tracked with this?" He clicked his tongue and scratched the blue seals in annoyance.

"It wasn't an easy feat by any stretch… A Grail War is an enormous ritual and the very first new one of its kind… in 200 hundred years required more than ample supervision."

Now Collingwood remembered. The _Holy Grail War_. A large scale ritual in which seven magi summoned familiars with the imbued concept of Heroic Spirits to take part in a bloody battle to the last pair standing. They had covered it during the special courses back in the Clocktower. He had been fascinated with the idea back then… a silly, if not romantic view of a bloodbath.

"The last one was just… 16 years ago if I remember correctly." The information didn't line up. Grail Wars came in 60 year cycles.

"You are referring to the 4th Fuyuki Grail War. Since then a 5th one… has already taken place." He corrected him almost akin to the professors back then.

"Then what was that about the first in 200 years?" He crossed his arms and retracted the needles into his coat brim.

"This is the first Grail War in a new location since then. This one will be held in Matsumae city… in the country of Japan…" He tried his best to keep talking, but the needle in his abdomen was giving him unending pain.

"Then I have been chosen by that new Grail?" Those were unexpected news to say the least. To be affected by this ritual across the world… what unspeakable power. Perhaps the stories were true after all.

"We couldn't let a Hermit gain the chance to make a wish…. Or to gain access to this ritual!" He spat out.

"Is there anything else you would like to tell me?" His brown eyes were almost disinterested as he touched the tip of the needle that still stuck out of Citro's abdomen.

"T-that… that was everything… I swear…"

"…" His mind drifted off in thought. It was incredibly unlikely that the man spoke the truth. He had to be hiding more from Collingwood than he admitted. What he had received was only the bare surface information the weak Enforcer had been willing to part with. Still, he had to process this new information. But first of all…

"ARRRRGHH!" Citro squealed like a pig on a pike as the needle was pulled out of his body.

"I have no use left for you." His words were accompanied by him wiping the bloody needle on Citro's clothes.

"At least…. End me quickly…" He didn't beg for his life. The only request in his azure eyes was to be released painlessly.

"That entirely depends on your friends." Collingwood shrugged and left the room.

"Wait… you are leaving me here? You are running away?!" The disbelief was certainly justified.

"Did you expect anything else from a runaway magus?" He waved him goodbye.

He went through a few of his remaining belongings, taking only as much as he could carry and then exited the cottage.

As soon as he left, he sprinted off into the forest and made his way across several gaps and caves. When he finally managed to find a spot he considered safe he collapsed like a sack of potatoes and coughed incessantly until blood covered his left hand. The mental and physical trauma he had experienced in the last few hours had gotten to him. Overstraining his magecraft had peculiar side-effects on his organs and blood vessels.

Even though the shoulder wound still hurt he was much more exhausted from keeping up such a calm façade while confronting Citro. The Enforcer hadn't spilt everything in the end, but Collingwood had been more afraid than him. If he had gone through with the entire torture plan _he_ would have been the one to give up first. That much was certain.

No stoic mien could last forever. For now he was just glad to be far away from those intruders. It was time to move from this backwater place. His next goal was the cave that he had sent Satu to. They needed to reconvene and then he might finally have been able to have some calm introspective on the new revelations.

The blue Command Seals glowed faintly in the moonlight.


	3. Choice

**You guessed right, I do _not_ speak Spanish! Yikes.  
**

* * *

 **Choice**

* * *

The huts had burned down to a lamentable state. The dry sand and earth of the badly made dirt roads were covered in soot and pieces of toppled over facades. The night sky was still filled with the dissipating remainders of smoke.

Collingwood stepped heavily through the destroyed village. Corpses surrounded him, but he had no mind to look if he recognized any of them. Death was no stranger to him, but there was nothing desirable about getting used to it. The smell of burnt flesh would certainly be stuck in his nose for a while.

The burlap sack he carried on his back was none too heavy, but after making the trip to and fro this village two times and adding to that the damage he had taken during his encounter with the _Executors_ , he was certainly feeling exhausted and heavy.

Seeing the bad state of things he once again wondered how just three people could have wrought this much destruction. He hoped that Satu had not returned against his promise. The sight would have surely shattered the boy even more. When they had passed through the first time everything was still covered in thick smoke and the spreading fires caught all the attention. Now that the flames died down, it only became more apparent how bad things were.

His feet took him to the remote hut just outside the village. The door was still as ajar as they had left it. His stomach felt like revolting when he entered the familiar place.

Nothing had changed for the village crone. She was still crucified against the hut's back wall. The killing blow had been a stake to the heart. Collingwood closed his eyes to shake the sight. He carefully loosened the nails from her hands and legs and then wrapped her naked body in his punctured garb. He had nothing better on him, but at least it returned some dignity to the dead woman.

Her eyes that had been wide open in fear were now glazed over and distant. He closed them with his hands and held them in place for a while. In movies and the like they would make one believe that eyelids would just stay in place, but in truth the muscle that closed them was useless after death.

After softly laying her down on the bed he checked for any signs of tempering. If he wasn't careful he might have ran straight into another trap of the Church. He traced the walls and the crooked table with care. Memories of evenings he had spent in this very room were still fresh.

How had he never noticed the sense of comfort that he had felt here? Sometimes people only knew what's important after they lost it. That too was something he had gotten used to in his short life.

* * *

The rusty shovel penetrated the raw earth one last time before getting stuck in the small hill of its own creation. The hilt had broken off just as the last bit had been moved.

Collingwood wiped sweat from his brow and pulled down the sleeves of his shirt. He had pulled them up for the duration of his digging. His rugged look had been multiplied by the dirt on his hands and face.

As he cleaned his face with a rag he looked upon his work. The grave had been deeper than intended, but if he had left it shallow who knows what animals might have dug it open. There was no coffin, so the corpse was far from safe.

In the back of his mind he felt a pang of guilt. The rest of the village deserved a burial as well, no matter how they had treated him over the years, but there was simply no time. The sun was already about to rise.

From the back of his coat, which he had carelessly cast aside on the ground; he pulled the small rectangular book that had been standing on the nightstand. There was only one bed. Satu and his 'mother' shared what little warmth and comfort they had. The book on the other hand was entirely the old woman's possession. It had been worn down by constant usage.

He flipped it open and soon found the passage he looked for. Burial rites.

The old spirit worship was something of a rarity these days, even in these remote regions. The villagers certainly didn't seem to have had any appreciation left for it. The crone was the sole practitioner, but whenever somebody got injured or some riddle of nature assailed the fields, sure enough the village 'witch' was called upon. That was probably the only reason she was allowed to live so close by.

Satu was indeed someone 'possessed' by something. According to the old crone, it was a guardian spirit. An ancient snake of great renown. To her he was a miracle child, but obviously the rest of the world didn't see it that way. Collingwood too had his doubts. As a magus he couldn't deny the existence of spirits and demons, but that was Church territory in most cases.

All he knew was that a kind woman had found her end.

He slowly recited the words on the page, a final prayer supposedly guiding the soul to the afterlife. The language was a complete mystery to him, unlike the very clear instructions on the remaining pages and he wasn't sure about the pronunciation, but it was the best he could do.

After finishing his recital he put three stones into the softened earth. They were markers for the spirits to find her.

And with that he had fulfilled his promise. The rites had been executed and the book retrieved. Albeit he still couldn't find much use for it, he put it into his breast pocket nonetheless.

The first ray of the rising sun hit the dirty stones and was reflected ever so subtly. The pattern reminded of the last spark a campfire cracked before fading out.

* * *

The cave, the rendezvous point, the place of Collingwood's great puma hunt was right in front of him. The journey here should only have taken a few hours, but due to his exhaustion and paranoid movements it had taken at least half a day if not more.

The sun was already far advanced and its heat wore him down even more. There was a long empty plain between the caves and the forest, so he was in constant fear of being spotted. Each step he took was filled with the regret of having left Citro alive. Whether that guy would even manage to escape was meaningless. The very concept gnawed at his mind.

As he touched the entrance to the rock cave he could hear repetitive sounds. Grinding.

He entered slowly and peeked around the corner. There he saw Satu, grinding a rock over a tree branch. He had already ground it into a spear like shape. The boy knew how to hunt at least. Next to him lay a few rodents, though what species was impossible to tell as they were completely wrung out. The stench of blood was faint here, but still noticeable.

"…no precaution at the entrance. Anyone could have snuck up on you." He said quietly and was rewarded with an extremely surprised Satu. The young man hastily threw the spear up and pointed its still somewhat dull tip in Collingwood's direction. Recognition raced past his scared eyes soon enough.

"Mr. Collingwood! You returned, just as you said!" His clear relief and warm smile were surely charming.

"Barely." He replied dryly. "What if I had been one of the killers?" His gaze changed to a glare.

"I'm sorry… I was hungry and sitting… very sad." The words seemed to get stuck in his throat. Of course he would have to distract himself from the bad thoughts. It was only natural.

"…" Collingwood sat down with a sigh and pressed against the stable rock wall. Then he faced the entrance while slowly pulling down the burlap sack from his shoulder. Wordlessly he handed the boy some of his rations.

While he thanked him profusely Satu moved over and knelt next to him. His form was rather subservient.

"Did… did you find the bad people?" His eyes were back to being fearful.

"Yes. Took care of most of them." He replied as he bit into a piece of jerky. The meat was dry and far from tender, but it would restore some of his energy.

Satu did not ask what he meant by 'took care'. Even this oblivious kid knew better than to stir a bee hive.

"And what now?" He instead inquired about their next move.

"Now… we keep moving." That was the most immediate concern. People on the move were harder to track down than a stationary target. More importantly though he needed to find out more about the validity of Citro's words. He didn't necessarily believe the undercover _Enforcer_ , even if he had acted broken. Real Enforcers went through rigorous torture training to build resistance to pain.

"Where to?"

"Lima." That was the only option now.

"T-the capital?!" That got Satu worked up for a lot of reasons. But there was no denying the excitement in his body language.

"I have a contact there. Someone who can give me what I need." Yet he felt no real desire to meet him.

"Can I really come along?" The question came not unexpected. Satu was more of a burden than anything to Collingwood and they both knew it. The boy could provide for himself, given he was not found by the Church. He was probably prepared for that answer all along. Living by himself in the mountains of Peru.

It was entirely possible. But…

The magus went through his dirty brown hair. Unnecessary thoughts flowed to the surface once again.

 _Wasn't it an unbearably lonely existence?_

Without replying to the question he went through his pockets and then finally fished out the small book. He solemnly handed it to the young man and pushed it against his chest.

"This is tayca's…" He immediately teared up. Until now he had kept it in for the sake of survival. Kept up strength for the sake of appearing strong. But as he touched the leathery pages of the last belonging of his 'mother' he lost that last pillar of support.

Collingwood did not say anything as he waited out the cries and wailing of the boy.

"Th-the rites?" He asked between sniffs.

"Did what I could." He replied vaguely. Better to spare him the details.

Satu wiped his eyes and then handed the book back to Collingwood. Determination was in his refocused eyes. It was clear what he was trying to express.

Collingwood hesitated for just a moment before taking the book again. That's right. Equivalent exchange. He had performed his part of the deal and now he received the book as compensation. Perhaps Satu had known that he could have kept the book if he just didn't return it right now, but his sense of justice was much too strong.

"I will keep it for now. And I already got some hints towards the signs on my hand." He pushed it back into his pocket. His wording was deliberate.

"Is it a curse?"

"You could call it that." Although for very different reasons to what Satu believed.

"I knew it… it bodes very badly." He nodded.

"We will move out at night. It's a long way to Lima, but if we manage to get to the next village by tomorrow we can somehow get ourselves a car."

"A car? Like the one from beyond the lake?" Satu once again showed a very boyish excitement. Cars were a rarity around here. The potato merchants had driven one when they visited the village once.

"This one won't be as big or well maintained." He warned him ahead of time.

* * *

"Th-th-this i-i-is L-L-Li-Lima?" Satu asked with rattling teeth. The constant shaking of the car was absolutely horrible. It rattled their brains and hurt their behinds and backs on each uneven part of the long road.

Collingwood didn't consider himself a great driver, but this rust bucket of a four wheeled garbage container had barely held together for the entire duration of their journey. The gas tank was exposed and the breaks worked only occasionally. Furthermore the wheel was on the left, which he still hadn't gotten used to after all this time.

Like a ray of hope and relief for their shaken bodies, the capital city of Lima appeared around the corner of the hill. A truly great city in this wilderness. The skyscrapers were not as impressive as in say, New York or Dubai, but the city still gave them the impression of prosperity and civilization, something sorely lacking in the mountains they came from.

As they entered the main road they joined in with the rush hour traffic.

"Close your coat and lay low." Collingwood requested without looking at Satu.

"Already done!" He replied immediately. With the coat covering his entire upper body and with the hood hanging deeply into his face, Satu was almost unrecognizable. There was probably no need to be so cautious over the boy's appearance in this city, but if they were still followed it would be best not to stand out.

After making it through the slog of city traffic Collingwood drove them into the port area of the metropolis. The wide blue ocean glistened in the afternoon sun and seemed as endless as humanity's desire to conquer it.

"This is amazing Mr. Collingwood." Satu lowered his head in reverence to the great waters. He had never seen anything like it. The most water in a single place he knew was the river down south of the village. And that one never even exceeded 100 meters in width. Indeed, Satu was already praying to whatever great water spirits resided in the ocean.

"Don't try to drink from it. It's entirely salty." He broke the boy's prayers with a little jab and moved away from the parking lot. Soon after he was followed by him.

"So it really was made by the tears of the spirits like tayca said." That information only made him more fascinated with it apparently.

"Hrrm." Collingwood just groaned in indifference and led Satu through the busy streets and corners of Lima. The crowd threatened to swallow them several times, but in the end they made it to the place he was searching for.

An old rundown hotel. Its unhinged and faded sign told them a curious name.

[Playa del Amanecer]

 _Beach of Dawn. Sunrise Beach. Daybreak Beach._ There were many ways for Collingwood to interpret the words, but he preferred to simply call it by its Spanish name. He looked over to Satu for a moment, witnessing the boy's squinted stare. Clearly he was not familiar with Spanish. They only spoke _Aymara_ in the old village. Collingwood had more or less gotten used to it, even if he wasn't especially trying to learn it. He had taught Satu English more because of the young man's curiosity than out of convenience.

Pulling himself out of his musings he raised his fist and knocked it against the wooden door three times. There was no reply. Not even the hint of an air current that suggested movement.

"Maybe they are out?" Satu suggested.

"Not likely." Collingwood glared at the door as if it was something unpleasant.

He knocked one more time.

But right afterwards he kicked it with all his strength and it burst out of its hinges, hitting something audibly.

"Ouch!" Came the short cry from behind it.

"I'm coming in." He said without a care and moved through the newly opened doorway. He stepped on the hand of the person buried below the wooden door, although it wasn't clear whether it was on purpose.

"...you're just gonna let yourself in again?" A male voice came from below the door and as Satu lightly stepped around the buried body, he could catch a glimpse of a stout man with more hair than skin.

"Uhm... who was this small person?"

"He doesn't matter." The brown haired magus replied without a hint of irony and walked up the stairwell at the end of the hallway.

His goal was clearly upstairs, but could they really just leave the man at the entrance that way? Seeing Satu's worried glances he scowled and mumbled shortly.

"He is a coward who blocks the door at the slightest sign of trouble. We needed to get past him anyway."

"I see." Though he claimed to understand, the boy really didn't get it.

They walked past an empty bar room and then reached the second floor. Assuming from the building's facade this was the highest level. But there was in fact a third stairwell. Perhaps it led to some attic.

Yet Collingwood moved straight for the white door next to it.

"I'm coming in." He repeated loud enough for the person inside to hear. But again he threw the door open without giving the inhabitants time to act on that notice.

"Isao!?" Like a weasel the young looking man scurried around the chair he had been sitting on and rapidly retreated to the back of the room. His long blond hair was disheveled, but it still appeared well kept. They must have really caught him at an inopportune time. There was a light stubble on his sly face, almost equaling the gruff look Collingwood had right now.

"Banin." Collingwood called out to him with no small amount of disdain. "I told you not to call me by that name."

"Sorry pal, old habits die hard, you know?" The man named _Banin_ was rubbing his hands nervously. He perfectly had the subservient dealer motions down.

"Stop that act." He grumbled and pulled over a chair which he promptly sat down upon. He nodded Satu to do the same.

Banin looked at Collingwood for a good minute before finally sighing and sitting back down as well. He pulled the table he had been working at over and slammed it down between them. In the same motion he pulled out a bottle with a glimmering liquid inside it and handed it towards his guests.

"I don't drink." Collingwood reminded him stone faced.

"We haven't seen each other in two whole years, the least you could do is indulge me a little." Banin sighed and put the bottle to his mouth to take a big swig. "Puhah! That hit the spot." He wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"You have quite the buzz already." He could tell at a glance. "Did something go wrong again?"

" _Again_?! You're as rude as ever." The blond man complained with slightly flushed cheeks. "What did you do to Pablo?"

"He is going to live." Came the short reply.

Satu was very fascinated by this exchange, although he could barely follow what was being said, he saw a new side of Collingwood. And he had never met a man as strange as this Banin.

"Poor guy... I put him on guard duty, 'cause I didn't think anybody would come today." Banin held the bottle in Satu's direction, but Collingwood smacked his hand away.

"When's the last time anyone has visited this bar?" Collingwood sighed and pulled out a cigarette from his coat. He put it into his mouth, but made no attempt to light it.

"Believe it or not, there was a group just yesterday!" He replied with a coarse laugh.

"Why does the bar owner look so desperate when telling me this then?" He raised a brow.

"Bars are like trains my friend... Passengers jump on and off at every turn, but sometimes they leave a package behind." He took another big gulp of the alcohol. The cover identified it as a southern wine. It was probably not supposed to be downed like this.

"Meaning?"

"A bomb would've been better honestly..." He hiccupped and then put the bottle down. "Some cloaked people searching for their friends. You wouldn't know anything about that?" He looked at him sharply behind his blond bangs.

"You know I live in the mountains far from any trouble." Collingwood replied smoothly while balancing the cigarette between his lips.

"Being a _Hermit_ sure suits you. When's the last time you took a proper bath?" Banin suddenly grinned and leaned back. They treated each other roughly, but they weren't exuding animosity.

"Probably around the time you had proper guests." He retorted and folded his hands.

"Ouch. Still got that sharp tongue on you." Banin looked at him with a distant look, as if he was recollecting something. "You helped me out big time when I started a new life here. Guess this is the time to collect that debt?"

"You guessed right." Collingwood went through his unkempt hair with the slightest of smiles.

"Ya know... I don't have much contact with the Clocktower these days. If you want info on them you are asking the wrong poor bar master." He shook his head.

"I doubt that. The only people coming by this dumphole are mages. Drunk people always spill some juicy tidbits."

"Heh... you said it yourself, I got few customers." He pulled the bottle back into his direction. "Who's the boy?" He nodded towards Satu.

"A... friend." Collingwood hesitated to finish the sentence. It visibly seemed to tax him.

"A friend of Isao's gotta be quite the spectacular person!" Banin laughed and gave Satu a slightly more amicable grin than before.

"Banin..."

"I know, I know! You wanna be called 'Isaac' or whatever." He waved his hand as if it was an unimportant detail. "Don't let him fool you boy, that grumpy ass is quite insecure about how he appears to others." He winked.

"...let's get to the point." Collingwood said with a dark glare.

"If those Church goons are heading to the mountains yonder I can guess the reason you are here. If you need a boat or plane out of this hole, leave it to me." He nodded seriously.

"That will be part of it." He scratched his stubble and then put a hand in front of his mouth, clearly lost in thought.

"I don't like that look one bit. You're planning something big again." Banin frowned with the bottle close to his mouth. He put it down in fear of spitting the wine out in surprise. His grey eyes were focusing with some effort.

"What can you tell me about a new Grail War that's supposed to be held in Japan?" Collingwood simply came out with that question.

"… you were chosen?" Banin's throat seemed to have dried up instantly.

"…" Wordlessly Collingwood pulled off one of the leather gloves he had been wearing to hold the rough steering wheel during their long drive. Below it were the distinct blue seals.

"Damn me." The blond bar master put the bottle to his mouth and emptied the rest in one go. "You have some of the worst luck." He added after gasping for air.

"This could be an opportunity." Collingwood replied stoically.

"You sure got guts, but this isn't like back then. You will be on your own against people who have the highest stakes. And you can't run." The drunkard's eyes and words were completely sober. Nothing he said was wrong.

Collingwood hesitated. Despite his dismissive attitude he seemed to put weight on his old companion's words. He glanced at Satu almost reflexively.

"You aren't going to take the kid, huh?" Banin closed his eyes.

"That would be…" He averted his gaze.

"You are leaving me Mr. Collingwood?!" Satu suddenly widened his eyes. This was the only part of the conversation he comprehended and a sudden gust of fear went over his young face.

"Satu… I am not who I said I was." Collingwood balled his right hand to a fist and forced himself to look at the tanned boy.

"I don't understand?" Satu wondered if his lacking mastery of English was at fault. He turned his body on the chair to face the taller man.

"I am a magus." Collingwood's brown eyes looked back with a hint of guilt. He took a breath and then continued. "Those killers who came to the village… they tracked me down via the 'curse' on my hand." He explained while showing off the Command Seals.

"What… are you… saying?" Satu shook his head.

"Everyone died because of _me_. That's the kind of life I lead." His eyes turned colder. "You can hate me all you want. You have every right to. I will be gone from your life soon enough."

Those harsh words were trailing in the air for a while, but the boy didn't seem to catch them. No, he didn't want to touch upon them. His bright eyes were becoming blurry. Then with a torn face he jumped off the chair and ran out of the room.

Silence enveloped the table.

"Not gonna chase after him?" Banin asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. I meant what I said. He will have to get over it on his own." Yet somehow that expression on Collingwood's face was far less harsh than his words. He hid it behind the motion of adjusting the cigarette which was still not lit.

"Ever the cold hearted magus." Banin mocked and threw the empty bottle aside. It shattered loudly, but he didn't seem to care about the glass that spread all over the room. "Fine, I see you made up your mind. I'll tell you what I know."

"Appreciated."

"But with this we are even. I never want to see your sorry face in my bar again." He said with a good amount of finality.

"That's fair." Collingwood nodded with a somber expression.

"Kuh. This is the worst. And I am all out of juice." The fermented grape variety of course. He rubbed his face and dark eye bags. "Lesse… I heard from an acquaintance's acquaintance that there is a big ritual going down in **Matsumae city** … I think somewhere in the Kansai region of Japan. You know more about that backwater island than me." He said with his business face on now.

"I do. This is rather far from Fuyuki." He replied with his chin cupped in his hand.

"Nobody seems to know how a new ritual has begun so quickly after the Fuyuki Grail War was ended permanently three years ago." Banin shrugged.

"Why did the Tohsaka clan suddenly end it?" Collingwood was honestly not too keen on the details of magi politics, but it might help him make a decision.

"Apparently the last wars were all big failures. The system was rigged or something. Either way the Association helped dismantle the Grail."

The Grail was apparently a physical thing after all. From the lessons back in the Clocktower Collingwood seemed to remember that a homunculus vessel was supposed to be the core. The details eluded his mind.

"The ritual in Matsumae will begin in roughly a month if my contacts are correct. And they usually are." The blond magus wiped his slick hair back.

"A whole month." Those were good news.

"Are you really going to join that bloodbath? You know that there were almost no survivors in all previous wars." The concern was at least half genuine for once.

"They can track me with this." Collingwood displayed the three layered star on his hand.

"You weren't just saying that to shake up the boy, huh?" The barman's eyes were almost fearful when they gazed at the symbol.

"I won't be able to hide anywhere if I ignore this. Also there is the prize…" He added with an uncharacteristically hopeful expression. Noticing his slip-up he immediately returned to his poker face.

Banin looked at him dubiously.

"Ah, the omnipotent Grail grants any one wish to the victor." He said sarcastically. "The fact that nobody ever managed to get their wish granted doesn't speak well of the ritual, don't ya think?"

"This is a new Holy Grail War with a new system." Collingwood countered.

"Well, what can I say to so much proof?" Once again Banin shrugged. "It's your funeral." He nodded as if he was giving up.

"It's my only chance… for several reasons." He wasn't deterred anymore. His mind was already made up.

"I don't know much, but apparently the family which is responsible for Matsumae, the landlords if you will, is a certain branch of the same family that was involved in Fuyuki. Also the Church is supervising again. Just like them to snoop around where they don't belong."

When the words 'Holy Grail' were involved, the Vatican was not far. Even if this was a crude imitation, nay a completely unrelated ritual, they could not allow this to go on behind their backs. In other words Collingwood would be facing the angry comrades of his attackers.

"To put the cherry on top… I heard the Clocktower is sending one of their best as a Master representing them. They are giving him all honors etc etc." He didn't seem enthused. "I can give you a short resume. That's it. You might even recognize him."

Ominous words.

"What about the other Masters?"

"I am not a miracle worker. Until you broke into my peaceful home I didn't even give this 'Holy Grail War' mess a second thought." Which was of course a lie. The man was too well informed to act disinterested now.

"Fine. I think I will manage the rest on my own."

"Don't be too optimistic. I guess you are betting on your immunity as a ritual participant to get those Enforcers off your back, but all they need is you to summon a Servant and then die. Don't think for a second those bastards are beyond stooping to dirty moves." It was sound advice. Yet there was nothing that could be done about this fact.

"A Servant…" He muttered. Those familiars which resembled _Heroic Spirits_. No, in fact they were direct copies of the originals summoned from the _Throne of Heroes_. Such superhuman power at a normal magus command was hard to imagine. Perhaps this would also help him get the hunters off his back.

"I think it's pretty creepy. Like necromancy." Banin added his two cents.

"Nevermind that. I need to get a little head start." He exclaimed.

"You want me to inform the Clocktower?" Suddenly his expression turned grim.

Collingwood nodded.

"Ough… maybe it's the cheap wine, but I'm feeling sick already. You are asking a lot." He acted like he was about to spit bile.

"It wasn't easy to get you out of the old man's dungeon." Collingwood spat out the unlit cigarette and crossed his arms.

"Shit… I'd still be stuck there to this day, wouldn't I?" He exhaled painfully. "I got it already; I'll send them a formal message for your application in the ritual. If they ask me to arrange a meeting I will give them the wrong address. Hopefully they will buy that I was tricked by the _dashing rogue_ Isao Collingwood!" He raised his hands theatrically.

"Shut up." Was the quick and displeased reply.

"I am afraid to ask, but what about the boy?" Banin put his hands on the rough wooden table and gave him a twitchy smile.

"I thought maybe you could-"

"Am I an orphanage or something!? Did the sign outside say ' _Mother Theresa's lost puppy shelter_ '?" He retorted before Collingwood could even finish!

"…hire him." But the brown haired magus didn't get pushed away by the desperate outburst.

"C'mon. An abomination? In my bar? My guests are freaks alright, but that's above and beyond the acceptable-"

"How did you figure it out?" He interrupted flatly.

"Huh? The scales around his neck I suppose. Also Executors don't go magus hunting without some cover up." The bar master waved it off with an annoyed frown.

"I see. You are pretty perceptive."

"How many years do you think I've been looking at guests that smell like trouble?" He questioned with his index finger pointed at Collingwood.

"Three years, more or less." He replied calmly and then slapped the finger aside. "Which you only managed because I carried you all the way to Lima." He reminded him.

"Arrrgh! We are so even after this! Double even even!" Banin roared. He rose from his chair and moved through the broken glass to his sideboard to pull out a new bottle, but it was completely empty. "I need a drink." He grumbled and walked out of his room and down the hallway. "Once I find my new dew drop I want you out of my home. I'll send the info to the nearest hotel tomorrow."

"What about Satu?" Collingwood asked over his shoulder.

"…the boy can start as a trainee. The bar floor could use a good scrubbin' and Pablo can barely hold a damn mop."

His angry yells were more amusing to Collingwood than anything.

* * *

A few days later.

Just as Collingwood was about to leave the hotel for the airport, carrying a full bag in one hand, he noticed someone's eyes on him. Instinctively he touched the needles inside his jacket and started up his magic circuits. But soon he simmered down after realizing who was waiting for him at the corner of the alley.

"Mr. Collingwood." Satu looked at him with red eyes. He had been crying, that much was sure. But there was also something else in his irises. A light.

"I thought you were working today." He replied with a neutral expression.

"Mr. Banin let me leave on my lunch break." Satu explained, but he didn't seem to care about that.

"I'm surprised that scoundrel gives his employees any breaks at all." He managed a faint smile.

"You are leaving, aren't you?"

"Yes." He nodded ever so slightly.

"…will we see each other again?"

"Nothing is set in stone." He replied vaguely, but at Satu's expression he reconsidered. "I can't imagine we will." He admitted.

"I was really angry for a while…" Satu said with a downcast look.

"…" That was only natural, as he was facing the one responsible for his suffering. Collingwood was prepared to take all the disdain.

"But it wasn't at you!" The boy exclaimed. "Me! It was me, wasn't it!?" His accusing tone was almost lost in his strained voice.

"I don't know what you mean." He feigned ignorance.

"They found you because of the curse you said… But those bad men killed the villagers… killed my tayca, because of _me_ didn't they!?" His face was heating up and one could see his eyes turning moist again. Even after all the crying he still had tears to shed.

This was it. Collingwood dreaded this moment more than any other. He didn't owe Satu an explanation… No, that wasn't accurate. It was his fault that this boy had lost everything. That much was still true. It was only fair that he was honest to him.

"You know about the spirit inside you…" He gathered the words carefully in his mind. It was essential that he didn't become too attached. "Many people are afraid of it. It could very well become dangerous. To you as well."

"But tayca said-!"

"I know what she said, but even wise old ladies can be wrong." He was steadfast. "I also think you will be fine, but there is always a chance. And that's why those bad men want you dead. If you had met an exorcist you might have been fine, but these are exterminators." They had no empathy at all. "Banin is a scumbag, but he doesn't discriminate between people. Stay with him until you know what you want to do. Maybe one day you will find an exorcist that can help your condition." It was the only advice he had.

"You are… why are you so…" He wiped the incoming tears away preemptively. "Why are you so kind?!" Satu yelled with a deep sadness.

"…what?" Collingwood didn't understand.

"If I was cursed, then why did you help me? Why did you endanger yourself when you already had so many sad memories?" Finally it became clear that he wasn't crying over his own terrible situation, but… for Collingwood.

"…" He had no reply. Truly, he didn't know himself. There was nothing to be gained. As a magus he had repaid his debt, but was that true? He owed Satu nothing anymore, despite this nagging feeling of guilt. The boy was always in danger since his very birth. Collingwood had perhaps accelerated an inevitable outcome.

"You don't get it, do you?" He lowered his head. This deep sadness was born from the boy's infinitely kind heart. "I will pray to the spirits every day…!" He swallowed. "I will tell them that they shall protect you! The kind man who helped one of their own! And they will listen, because of the spirit inside me! Tayca's book said so!" He showed him the small tome that Collingwood had handed him back in the cave. "All goodness will be repaid tenfold. All blessings…. will be… with friends…" His voice broke.

The magus and the boy stood facing each other, but the distance seemed unbridgeable. The hesitation was on Collingwood's side. He couldn't bear it any longer and walked in the opposite direction.

"Goodbye." He said quietly.

"You are my friend! I will never forget you! If we meet again… _the next round will be on me_!" Satu yelled after him with his hands raised and waving.

He picked up something unnecessary from Banin already it seemed.

At the final moment Satu was not crying, but smiling.

This ever innocent and hopeful smile that Collingwood had secretly grown to like so much.


	4. The Hound

**Happy holidays to all those who have some!  
**

* * *

 **The Hound**

* * *

The plane was traversing the skies and passing the clouds at incredible speeds. It was bound directly for Japan. The flight from Lima to the island country was comparatively short, but there was still some time till landing.

Sitting inside the economy class section, Collingwood stared out the window deeply in thought. This was only his third time taking a plane, but he felt like it really was the first. The last two occasions he had been on the run and every moment in this cramped metal coffin that left him no path of escape had been torturous. Now he was calm at heart. Banin had made sure this flight was safe and he trusted that man to keep - if not his liquor - his promises at least.

It was the middle of the night and the sky was blacker than a cultist's robe. He felt a strange tingling in his chest when looking up to the much closer moon. The notion was ridiculous of course, as the distance that had been closed to the planet orbiting rock was insignificant compared to its true remoteness.

His mind tended to wander often as years of solitude would foster. The path ahead was far from clear and he would be lying if he did not worry. Yet again he took out the folder from his bag. The folder Banin had handed him before he entered the plane. This was the gathered information of all things surrounding the Matsumae Grail War.

' _Don't come crying to me if you get yourself killed!'_

He still remembered the parting line from the blond bar owner. Defiant words delivered with a stupid face. The memory almost got a chuckle out of him.

The first dossier was about the Master sent by the Clocktower.

 **Lewy du Rézny**.

A middle aged magus that had made quite a name for himself already. According to the short summary in his hands, the man had some deep history with the Church, but eventually switched sides. He was a high ranked combat magus and seemed to be up and coming in the new blood of _Enforcers_.

"Great." Collingwood released a heavy sigh. This was just the type of enemy who he wanted to face in a deadly skirmish…

* * *

 _London._

A faint light penetrated the white blinds that were just short of being shut. The windows were small, but the view on Victoria Street was still passable. An eagle-eyed person would have been able to spot Buckingham Palace a good distance away. Many tourists would certainly have killed for this view, but a true Londoner regarded it as an everyday sight.

The bars of light crossed the dark room all too easily and rested on some dusty furniture. The interior was not decorated, but the arm chair and mirrors seemed high quality. The air inside was stale and dust particles floated inside the tiny streams of sunlight.

Standing just out of reach from the rays was a well dressed gentleman. At least he appeared to be one. 'Clothing makes the man' was a common saying and it was all too true around these parts of the world.

His face was entirely stoic, but clean shaven and of a healthy color. The man's dark green hair was hanging just below his ears and appeared well kept. His bangs were clearly separated above his serious face. Grey and cynical eyes looked upon the work in his hands.

Carefully he set down the ore that he had so meticulously carved with the tools placed on the workbench. Strange runes were engraved inside the newly formed tips on the rock. The shape reminded of brass knuckles, but they were much too crude to be used as such at this stage. His rough grip was already putting strain on the material.

While his face stayed masklike and unmoving, he set his project aside and put it next to a pile of other failures. Nothing he created with these hands seemed to satisfy his standards anymore.

Another reason for the pause in his work was of course the intruder behind him. A presence so well hidden it might as well have been an illusion. Yet the short haired man turned to face his unannounced guest as if it was natural.

"Who are you?" He inquired with a low voice. The person he was facing was apparently surprised by his straightforward words.

"You are good." The strangely handsome man replied with a dark smile. Only his azure eyes glowed inside the sparsely lit room.

"Did _they_ send you or did your curiosity get the better of you?" He adjusted the cuffs on his suit and glared ahead. By 'they' he could have meant a variety of people. Which one would this intruder expect?

"I am back with the Association." Citro said with a resigned expression.

"So you failed your mission." The dark haired man didn't show a hint of emotion as he deduced not only who his visitor was, but also retraced the information he had about him. Neither joy nor disappointment were involved in his expression as he mustered the battered looking man. Citro's mission was not relevant to his interests.

"I was ordered by the brass to share my knowledge with you." From a current Enforcer to the future member.

"Are they certain you haven't defected and act as a double agent now?" The question itself was pointless, as Citro would never give a straight answer to such a claim. It was only supposed to display the man's open distrust for the 'Enforcer'.

"Likewise we never made sure you cut all ties with your old masters." The azure eyed magus seemed to be out for a confrontation. From his posture it appeared that he was hiding injuries. Still he had managed to sneak in unnoticed… at least for a while. His skill was extraordinary.

"Are you accusing me of working with the Church?"

"As you did me." Citro gave him a scowl. He had been working undercover as an 'Executor' for years now, but his loyalty to the Clocktower had never been put into question. This man on the other hand… _Lewy du Rézny_. How far could one trust a lapdog of the Vatican that had a supposed change of heart?

"Enough." Rézny declared this exchange exhausted. There was no need to continue this topic. "Your information is regarding your last mission then?" He turned away and set aside a few tools.

"It's as you say." Citro was far from pleased to be pushed aside after getting accused so rudely. "Your position as a Master is guaranteed?"

Rézny raised his rough right hand and showed off the Command Seals. They were shaped in a strange symbol. Of course to Citro who had much experience with the gospel, this appeared to be the symbol for the holy trinity. For a moment he wasn't certain whether this was just one of the many tattoos and scriptures that Executors and Burial Squad members engraved into their skin…

"I will depart tomorrow." The stoic magus considered that all the proof necessary.

"Fine." Citro didn't have enough energy to spare for further inquiry. Even Rézny could tell that the former double agent was barely standing straight. "The reason for my return is connected to this Grail War ahead of you."

"One of the Masters?" Rézny finally seemed to show a sliver of interest. He sat down the failed brass knuckles next to the collection bin.

"Indeed. His name is Isao Collingwood. You may not have heard the story, but he is rather famous around the Clocktower." The former Executor said derisively.

"…the lad that got designated for sealing?" Rézny's memory was impressive. All in all he could only have been serving as a magus of the Association for no more than a year. Yet he already picked up on all the important details surrounding the old organization. It became very apparent why they wanted to recruit him as a new Enforcer. Rumors went around that the old council treated him as the next McRemitz.

Citro had no such delusions. Every other decade they would put a magus with high potential on a pedestal and then throw them into hell. For those who drew attention were the most despised of all. It was a cutthroat world, this secret organization of magi.

"None other. He has grown into a fearsome creature." He replied after his short reverie. The name seemed to create ripples of negative emotions in the Enforcer's heart.

"Did he put you into this state?" Sympathy was the last thing Rézny displayed with his eyes, but he finally looked at Citro again.

"As much as I rue admitting so. He is dangerous. We walked right into his trap and he killed my two partners."

"I am impressed that you managed to survive." It was not entirely mocking. Rézny didn't seem the type to joke or make sarcastic remarks. He honestly didn't seem to believe that Citro would be the one to make it out alive. Both of them had worked under the same division for a while. Even though this was their first meeting, clearly the dark haired magus knew about Citro's disposition.

That he was a non-combatant only worth keeping around for his rare ability.

Citro felt a formidable rage bubble up when he saw those objective, uncaring eyes. Rézny was looking down on him in the most unfeeling way possible. Assessing him as a weakling. A worn out tool.

"It cost me my position as a spy, but yes, I managed to get away with my life." He grinded his teeth together. "You may judge me as useless, but my partners were not. Heed my warning to not underestimate Collingwood."

"I never underestimate my targets." The words were stern.

"His magecraft is peculiar." He threw a dossier Rézny's way.

He caught it with one hand and then flipped it open. Reading the contents carefully he didn't even change his expression once.

"A family with a rare origin and magecraft." Rézny nodded. This was explanation enough why the Clocktower wanted him so badly.

"Their craft is cursed. I disagree with the designation. This man is a _Philosopher_. After what he did back then and now during his exile…"

"Your cowardice is noted." Rézny closed the pages and put it down next to him. The information was sparse. All he could take from it was some of the young magus' biography and the basics of his magecraft. This 'Collingwood' was in his early twenties, average scores in the academy, but driven. To a dangerous degree, just as Citro had mentioned. Yet aside from the incident that led to his self-imposed exile, there was barely anything worth mentioning.

"Mark my words." Citro was now wearing his hostility openly. "The most unassuming are especially dangerous."

"I am aware of this fact. But my mission is clear." To win this Grail War for the sake of the Association and to fulfill their ambitions. An unspoken order that was drilled into him from the moment he had been chosen by the chalice of destiny. "You may leave now."

"…" Citro's glare was penetrating Rézny's back for a moment.

Just as the dark haired magus turned to throw him out, he saw that he had completely disappeared. This ability of Citro's was rather unnerving, even to a former Burial Squad member like Rézny.

He threw aside the pieces of a fissured rune stone and pulled out a pair of metallic brass knuckles from his dress coat. They looked polished and finely crafted. Far better than the crude failures on the workbench. Each and every rune had been carved with inhuman precision.

"I will succeed… I must." He told himself once again. In front of Citro he had played the perfect bloodhound that would hunt down the fox for his masters. But in truth he had his own goals and intentions. The Association trusted him deeply and he would use their resources to his own gain until he finally had the Grail in his grasp.

The Enforcer's emotions had gotten in his way and clouded his judgment, which was all the better for Rézny's purposes. Citro would tell his masters about this exchange and how loyal Rézny was to their cause. Even if he would do so with much chagrin.

Tomorrow his flight would take him to the distant land of Japan. He hadn't been to the country more than twice on his missions to hunt monsters, but his preparations were impeccable, thanks to his new benefactors. There was one week left until the start of the war, but each moment was an eternity to his anticipation filled blood.

The seals on his hand seemed to glow faintly in response to his determination.

* * *

The halls of the Clocktower's headquarters were coated in the paint of old glory and decadent splendor. There was hardly anything that Association magi put more focus on than appearances. As if a perfect metaphor for the proud and foolish machinations transpiring behind closed doors, the tapestry on the walls was showing signs of patchwork and an overabundance of retracing.

Rézny walked with a straightened back and a solemn face. The occasional passerby would only see him as the dignified representative he was to play. It was almost natural for him to assume any mask given to him. This kind of flexibility and acting talent was exactly what would make him appear like a spy to people like Citro though.

As he passed the windows in front of the huge garden area, he noticed someone familiar. He squinted in the blinding sunlight coming from above, but there was no doubt.

 **Lord El-Melloi II.**

It was fortunate that he had spotted him just as he was returning to his office. After all his only reason for visiting the headquarters was to convene with the experienced veteran.

Making sure not to rush too obviously, he headed downstairs and soon found the thick oak door to the office. The name plate was engraved with beautifully curvy letters, but the gilded surface had started to dull and even fade in a few places, revealing much cheaper black metal.

Even a stoic man like Rézny felt this was a telling detail about the man inside. He knocked politely and entered as soon as a voice replied.

El-Melloi was a highly regarded professor at the academy, but he was also secretly working on many other projects of the Association. A busy man indeed. This was immediately clear when Rézny entered his office just to see him turned away, reading some letters.

"Lewy du Rézny, is it?" Somehow he had identified him without even exchanging a single word or look.

"A pleasure to meet you, sir." Rézny bowed elegantly as he was taught many times before.

"I knew I felt a gaze upon me in the hallway. You certainly jumped on the opportunity quickly." El-Melloi II. was a busy man, but he didn't seem to mind multitasking at all. His posture was relatively relaxed for a serious looking man like him. The long strands of his dark hair were dangling over his shoulders alongside a red cloth that resembled a scarf.

"I apologize for my unannounced visit. There is only little time left before my departure, so…"

"So you want a piece of my wisdom." El-Melloi didn't beat around the bush. He set the papers aside with a snort and then folded his hands in front of his face. "My valuable advice for you is… to abandon this mission." His dull eyes were looking up to Rézny like an executioner would to a man on death row.

"…" If Rézny hadn't had complete control over his facial muscles he would certainly have betrayed his irritation right now. The professor's words were not coming from concern for his life, but even if they did, such condescending words would only lead to the opposite reaction.

"Good. You know how to control your emotions. One thing that makes you a better candidate than me back then." The faintest of smiles cracked on the serious man's lips.

Yes, El-Melloi II. was one of the handful of survivors from all previous Grail Wars. His lectures on the nature of such rituals had led to some controversy indeed. But if there was anyone who could give advice then it would be him. Which made this little farce of a test all the more insulting.

"But my master, El-Melloi the first, or Kayneth Archibald as I knew him, was also a man who considered himself capable and controlled. The truth of the matter was that he was merely an overconfident puppet, sent into a bloody ritual like a pig to the slaughter." His words for his old mentor were incredibly harsh. Rumors had it that El-Melloi II. had stolen a catalyst from him to summon his own Servant and join the 4th war.

Those dull, yet clever eyes spoke volumes of how likely that rumor was. Not that it would have shocked anyone in this corrupt place.

"Yet _you_ survived." Rézny said with a glance over the room's interior. To his surprise, among countless artifacts, he spotted a… game console? It was rather new too. Even if he knew little of modern entertainment, he still recognized it. What was such a famous magus doing with children's toys?

"And by no small miracle at that." The long haired man nodded. "I knew that you would not be interested in my opinion or deterred by my warnings. This is your business alone." He nodded again, but then pulled something from his drawer. A tiny piece of metal. Without saying another word he threw it towards Rézny, whose superhuman reflexes allowed him to catch it easily.

"This is…?" He inspected the piece with sharp eyes. It appeared to be rather old and worn. Clearly it had been kept somewhere for a long time… perhaps centuries. The fact that it had not crumbled yet meant it was not natural.

"Something that should give you quite the advantage in your battle." El-Melloi II. said with a disinterested look and returned to reading his letters.

"A catalyst?" It could only have been that. Something that would help a Master summon a specific Servant. A piece of a hero's armor or weapon. Locks of hair of a beast they had slain. The tears of a witch, kept inside a magical container. These 'catalysts' came in any shape or form.

"Do not thank me. This was something passed to me by the higher ups in case you needed some support." He snorted again. To him it must have been rather ironic that they would hand it to someone uninvolved on the off-chance he got questioned.

"What hero-"

"I do not know. Judging by the material and spells woven into it, I can only assume that it is a piece of a legendary sword. Perhaps chipped off on purpose." For someone who claimed to know nothing he certainly made some very educated guesses. "It is up to you to use it or not. Summoning is not an awfully reliable process. There is no guarantee either way." He folded the letter in his hand and finally gave Rézny one last look.

"Thank you." Rézny, the former Church hound, bowed his head to a mere professor. Even though he was made fun of, he felt honored to have talked to someone so formidable.

"I told you not to thank me." El-Melloi gave him an aggravated look and waved him to leave already.

"Goodbye." With those words on his lips, he opened the oak door again and stepped out. To an Executor there were no 'Until we meet again's. Every mission was treated as the last.

"You are headed for Japan, correct?" Suddenly the professor's voice caught him one more time.

Rézny turned back and nodded silently.

"Ah… Do not eat the lunch special with wasabi from that famous grocery store chain. It isn't palatable for us Westerners."

For a moment Rézny looked at him with a shocked expression. It took him a moment to realize that he had been bested. He put a hand to his mouth to hide his regret.

It was impossible to tell how serious this clever magus had been, but he had managed to break Rézny's mask so very easily that it wasn't even funny.

"…I will remember that." He finally replied and gave El-Melloi a dry smile.

" _I_ certainly can't forget that taste." The professor waved him goodbye and turned his chair towards the pile of work next to him.

Rézny closed the door and sighed in defeat.


	5. Embers

**Embers**

* * *

 _Crack._

The wood splintered as the hooded figure jumped off the roof's outermost bow. Immediately the punished structure was pierced by a dozen bullets which covered it in holes. The projectiles had grazed only the waving cloth of the escapee.

"Get him!" The guards yelled in anger under the moonlit sky.

Unlike the almost suicidal jumper they did not dare to go down the roof the most immediate route and instead kept shooting from above while their comrades turned back to rush down the stairwell.

What would have broken a normal man's bones did not seem to affect the runaway much as he landed inside the beautiful temple garden. He simply rolled off the force of his jump and slid behind a few red pillars. His pursuers would catch up soon enough.

Pulling the backpack he was carrying closer to his chest, he took a deep breath and then rolled forward to the next pillar. Again gunshots pierced the air and bullets the wooden archway. The hooded man's movements were hard to follow, but he was not bullet proof. A single stray projectile grazed his right leg and made him stumble.

"I think I got him! Surround this bastard." The man on the roof was shouting orders.

"You didn't get me yet…" The man flinched slightly behind the pillar he had made it to and then spun his hands a few times. A hazy glow surrounded the hooded man.

Only a few seconds later the guards came running to the spot he had been cornered at... to find nobody was there.

"Impossible! This is a dead end!" One of the guards said in utter disbelief.

The thief had escaped.

"Calm yourself gentlemen." A serene voice echoed throughout the archway and a young man in blue and white robes appeared. He resembled a Shinto priest to a degree, but there was something odd about his aura. While his eyes were closed, he still seemed to be completely aware of all the looks directed at him. He folded his hands and nodded reassuringly.

"Aoki-san…" The guard who had panicked lowered his head in shame.

"Block the exits if you would. We will sniff out this carefree thief." He smiled thinly before moving past the armed men.

"Yes sir!" The guards were obeying the man's words as if he was their master, even though he should have had no authority over them. They spread in the directions of the temple's exits like a well oiled machine.

"Hmhmhm. A daring rat creates its own escape path." Aoki lowered his gaze and slightly opened his eyelids. His penetrating glare would have frightened any rat away for certain. What those terrifying eyes perceived… was a trail of tiny blood drops.

The thief had moved away, but the trail ended soon in the direction of the lower stone garden. Perhaps he had stopped the bleeding during his covert escape. Aoki pulled a piece of paper from his garbs and took it between his index and middle fingers.

"Zai!" He exclaimed. Just as his words dissipated inside the air, the talisman in his hand started to move of its own accord and reformed in an unreal way until it finally took the form of a black and white dog. The creature did not appear natural, but rather as if made of the pages of a book filled with mantras. "Kiba." He called the dog, which moved into a ready position. "Zen." He flicked his hand and the dog rushed forward at impossible speeds.

Just as it passed the first column it stopped at the end of the blood trail.

"Perception blocking?" Aoki raised a brow and moved after his creation.

* * *

The thief's name was _Akira Sakata_. His mission was to steal the treasures of this shrine and make it back to his master.

It seemed so very easy when discussed at length before the mission, but as soon as one followed the first steps, usually something would go wrong.

And so it did.

' _Shit, it hurts!_ ' He growled inside his head, but made sure not to let a single sound escape his lips. The pain creeping up from his leg was not unbearable, but the cloth he had used to bandage it up burned horribly on the wound.

If only he hadn't messed up right at the start. Making it into the sanctuary was by no means a hard task for him. Lock picking and avoiding guards was a piece of cake with his particular set of skills. Too bad that he had found out that the treasures displayed were actually fakes.

The plan had already been made according to that assumption, but the fakes in the front were just the first distraction. The ones locked tightly inside the safe had also been imitations. The crystal given to him to identify the true articles was cracked from how desperately he had clutched it. The revelation of the fake treasures had almost made him scream in frustration.

Without many options left he had been forced to search the entire temple and the palace close to it. The longer he moved through the halls the likelier it became that someone spotted him. Ironically he had finally been noticed just as he obtained the true treasures at the bottom of a secret compartment in the basement. The noise of the forcefully opened lid had alerted a sleeping guard close-by. Akira had slipped up when he looked for guardsmen around the area, due to his increasing anxiety.

If he had abandoned the treasures right then and there he might have been able to slip away undiscovered, but that was tantamount to alerting the palace that someone had tried to steal their most prized possessions. If that had come to pass he might as well have abandoned the mission, tail between his legs.

He leaned his back against a palisade that separated the two major Zen garden areas. Using reinforcement thaumaturgy to protect his legs from the fall had exhausted him more than expected. Most likely because he had done so on the fly and this wasn't his forte either.

A few guards in uniforms ran past him as if the devil himself was chasing them. They didn't even take notice of the hooded thief in front of them.

And how could they? Akira had made use of the only thing that could save him. His _barrier_ spell. A shield that was thinner than a piece of paper and about as sturdy as well. But the property he had added to it was far from useless.

The square shaped space around him was completely sealed off from the outside world. Inside here nobody could even notice his existence. That is with sight and smell.

To his surprise he saw something creeping his way. It appeared to be a dog, but he had never seen a breed that looked like it was covered in newspapers. No, after taking a sharper look he realized these were sutras.

' _A priest's familiar?_ ' He gulped. This was bad. In the briefing he had been told about these special individuals that were assigned to the palace. Onmyouji.

He really didn't want to deal with these guys. They had some nasty tricks up their long sleeves.

And as if to spur on his fear, the traditionally clad Shinto priest stepped into the garden with a calm demeanor. Each of his footsteps was controlled and with purpose. The dog familiar was making sniffing motions, despite its nose being made of paper. The priest followed its guidance unquestioningly.

To Akira's increasing discomfort the creature seemed to be headed his way. It could not see or smell him. He was almost completely sure of it. Even if he felt some exhaustion, the barrier would not break this fast. Yet the dog kept closing in on his hiding spot.

It stopped its light paws right in front of his feet. This was bad. Real bad! If something touched the barrier it would go right through. And then his cover would be blown. It was only a matter of time before the dog would spot him.

But for some reason it did not keep moving. It just stared straight through him as if to perceive something in another plain of existence.

"Is he in that direction?" The priest was close enough that Akira could even hear his calm whispering. He was still walking towards him.

He pulled a talisman from his robe and folded it in the middle. Then he pointed it towards Akira. The next step would be decided by the measure of their skills. The priest was trying to cast away all illusions, while Akira was doing his best not to give himself away.

Seconds passed with nobody moving.

The talisman stopped glowing. And the priest… still did not focus on anything in particular. Akira was still invisible to him.

"Hm." He revealed disappointment.

Akira felt the tension in his body melt away and he exhaled slightly.

In an instant the dog moved its head up and stared straight at Akira's face!

The thief's heart stopped and his muscles cramped up. He had messed up! Sounds were not blocked out by his barrier. The dog had been listening intently for any signs. Now it was looking directly at the source of the noise.

"Oh?" The priest was mustering his familiar with a curious smile. Perhaps he had not realized what this shift meant just yet.

 _Tap_.

The priest moved forward.

No. He had definitely realized what his dog's reaction was about. There was no doubt in Akira's mind. The man stretched out his hand ever so slowly and moved forward. He was only centimeters away from touching the barrier. After he passed through he would immediately touch Akira's pale face.

Blood rushed to the thief's head. There was no other way, he had to fight back! As soon as the priest touched the barrier he would disperse it and hit him with all he got. The dog would maybe attack to avenge its master, but Akira was confident in his sprinting ability and stamina. If need be, he could probably run a kilometer without stopping once.

The priest touched the barrier.

"There you are!"

 **Now!** The time of the surprise attack had come. Akira raised his fist and swung forward.

The priest stopped. The words hadn't been his. Their sound was much higher and warmer. The voice of a girl.

From behind Akira a girl came running and stopped right next to the priest. Her garments were that of a shrine maiden and from what Akira could see in his compromised position, she was a real beauty.

He shakingly retracted his fist that was only a hair's breadth away from the priest's face.

"Koyuki-sama." The lanky priest looked upon her like a salary man at their boss during a speech. With a modicum of respect and attentiveness, but also guarded.

"Aoki-dono! I heard there was an evildoer inside the temple grounds and I came running as fast as I could!" The young girl seemed out of breath, but her vigor was unbroken.

"Indeed. Someone has laid their hands upon the national treasures." The man named Aoki nodded carefully. "We have things under control here. You should return to the high priestess now Koyuki-sama." His words were polite, but firm.

"But!" She raised her hands in front of her chest and looked up to him with passionate eyes. "We may have a chance to capture a real villain." Her words were so utterly out of place that Akira was hard pressed not to let a snort escape his shaking lips. The adrenaline was making his body shiver in spasms not unlike laughter.

"Be that as it may, you should not involve yourself with lowly thieves. Your destiny lies elsewhere." He rejected her formally.

"Aoki-dono… I understand." She lowered her head sadly. But she did not continue her objections. It seemed that she was not entirely unreasonable.

"Let me escort you back inside." He put a hand on her shoulder and let his gaze move across the garden once more. For a second it seemed like he was staring straight at Akira, but then he moved on with the shrine maiden in tow.

Akira's hands were shaking as he watched them enter the main gate. He couldn't believe his luck. Just as he was about to take a step forward, he realized the familiar was still standing guard in front of him.

' _He is no idiot_.' Akira admitted inwardly. But to leave everything to a mindless creature was a little too optimistic.

With brazen steps he walked away. And the dog… did not jump up.

A barrier had been placed straight around it. Trapped inside, it was unable to perceive anything except itself. It was an automated hunter that would track down anyone with its unnatural senses, but what could it do if it didn't perceive anything?

Akira climbed up a wall by use of a rope from his backpack and slid over it. His range was short, so the moment he left the dog's sight, the barrier dissipated. If it had been any bigger than the dog's immediate vicinity, Akira couldn't even have moved and kept it up at the same time.

"So long onmyouji." He gave the temple a last cocky farewell before sliding straight into the ice-cold river.

* * *

Traveling from Kyoto to Matsumae city only took two hours by bullet train. The tricky part was to move to the train station without attracting suspicion. The police had been mobilized pretty fast. Akira had abandoned his coat as soon as he left the river and dried himself with a heated barrier across his body. It was barely strong enough to boil water, but to dry him up it worked wonders.

Below he was wearing average teenage clothes, fitting for his age. There was nothing suspicious about a teenager roaming the streets of Kyoto even at this late hour. His backpack would probably make him look like a high school boy that had been separated from his group during a school trip.

As he navigated the streets he made sure to take in the sights for appearances sake. The Tori and temples in this city were beautiful, but he had no interest in sightseeing today. Even as he made impressed faces, he was continuously looking for shortcuts to the train station.

Finally reaching the promised land of connective transport, he let the pent up stress escape his body and slumped down on the seats inside the night train. The ticket had been prepared beforehand.

Roughly two hours later he arrived in his hometown, Matsumae.

The sprawling city was far from what anybody would call rural, but it had not become a metropolis quite yet. Skyscrapers were mostly reserved for the business districts. Akira's destination lay in the far off corner beyond even the suburbs.

There, settled atop a hill with a paved road and surrounded by separating walls, was the mansion of the owner of the land. The secret supervisor of Matsumae responsible for all magus activity in the area.

The _Tohsaka_ estate.

The moment he set foot on the paved road to the gate he felt observed already. Hidden in the trees were familiars that kept him in check and transmitted his every move to the inside.

To be spied on even when he was in his home turf was making him feel agitated. But that's how the mistress of this mansion handled things.

Although it was pointless to announce himself at the point, Akira still moved the doorknocker and hit the ancient wooden door three times. After an awfully long time a voice from inside finally answered.

"Password."

" _The swallow sings at the dawn of a new age._ " Akira replied with a coarse voice. He was feeling like he had just ran a marathon after the adrenaline had finally worn off and the ride from Kyoto had made him even sleepier, but protocol was protocol.

"Hmph." The male voice from behind the door seemed satisfied and then the entrance swung open for him.

Akira stepped inside while rubbing his tense shoulders and headed straight down the hallway. The servant that had opened the door gave him an indignant look for being ignored, but Akira didn't give a damn.

As he passed the kitchen and the living room, he reached the main study. It was blocked by a particularly tall and muscular man. He was wearing sunglasses even inside the sparsely lit hallway. His bald head was covered in several scars, giving him a battle worn look. And his goatee was the color of wilted straw.

"You are in one piece boy." He greeted him with a stoic smile.

"Yeah yeah, just shut up and let me in."

The bodyguard's name was _Stahl_ and his presence demanded to be acknowledged no matter how important the opponent was. Akira would honestly prefer not to be on the tall man's bad side, but his patience was running out.

"Prickly as ever." Stahl didn't seem bothered by the attitude he was given though. He was too experienced to let himself be insulted by so little. "Ryouko-sama is waiting inside. You know how to keep your act together." It wasn't a request, but an order.

"I get it already." Akira grabbed the door handle as Stahl moved aside. The instant he touched it he felt a cold shower run down his back.

The feeling inflated as he pushed his way into the room and was greeted by a cold glare. Somehow it felt like he had just stepped into ice water.

Ryouko Tohsaka stood in front of her chair. She was not sitting. Instead she stood tall in front of him with crossed arms and a grim expression. This woman was like born nobility. Her eyes were so far above him that he felt like a tiny ant in front of a dragon. Everything from her square shaped glasses to her tied up hair bun, the color of dark ebony, and tightly pressed garments gave her the appearance of a strict and proper lady.

A lady that demanded respect from each and everyone that stood before her.

Akira went onto one knee and bowed his head as was custom in this house. Cold sweat covered his forehead below his spiky brown hair.

"Sakata. Give me the catalyst." Her voice was stern and her words to the point.

He should probably have felt honored that she even remembered his name, he thought to himself sarcastically.

Without letting his true feelings slip, he handed the backpack to her. The medium length nails on her hands were colored in a dark shade of blue that almost faded into black. The same color as her lipstick.

As she inspected the contents and pulled out an ancient looking object she nodded once.

"The crystal?" She didn't even spare him a glance as she questioned Akira.

"It resonated. This is the real one… I presume." Not that he knew how the crystal even worked. It came straight from Ryouko- _sama_ 's treasury though, so it _must_ have worked.

The bile in his mouth was threatening to spew forth the longer he had to be in the icy woman's presence.

"Splendid. This will guarantee my victory in the ritual." She showed a rare emotion. _Satisfaction_.

She did not address Akira again. To her he was already unnecessary. No thanks or praise. Neither acknowledgement nor even scolding. She did simply not care about his existence.

His nails dug into his skin as he forced himself to turn around with a lowered head. The moment he left the room he punched the wall next to the doorframe.

"What if Ryouko-sama had heard your crude outburst?" Stahl asked rhetorically. His facial expression did not tell of his true feelings. Akira could not tell what he was thinking and he probably never would be able to.

"…" He bit his lower lip. If he let himself go now, those words would become a reality. And if Ryouko Tohsaka felt that he was bothersome he would get exiled from the organization as fast as a brick could fall out of a crumbling wall.

Forcing his steps to be as calm as his rage would allow, Akira moved past the bodyguard and stepped into the left side hallway. Towards the student quarters. The name was misleading as none of them really received any education in this household. To the mistress they were just subordinates to order around.

He opened and closed his fist a dozen times to calm down and then finally went up the creaking stairs. Just as he passed the shaking window on the left through which pale moonlight streamed, a sudden gaze caught him off-guard.

Atop the stairs stood a girl. Her hair was the color of polished gold and her eyes were a stunningly beautiful orange, like the softest fringes of a flame. She wore a blue dress that was supplemented by a long skirt. She exuded elegance, but also a certain melancholy, amplified by the tender streams of moonlight on her face.

"Kyouko-chan!" He gasped at her sight and all the exhaustion and anger dissipated in an instant.

"Eh? Ah… Akira-kun." She mumbled in a sheepish voice. She adjusted her long free flowing hair in a display of nervousness.

It was incredibly charming to Akira's eyes. He hastily overcame the distance between them and grabbed her hand. She didn't resist.

"I came back, just as I promised. Did you stay up waiting for me?" He asked with a much kinder voice than before.

"N-not particularly… I studied a bit." She said with a bashful expression. There was no telling whether she was just being coy or if she really did study until this late. Both seemed very much like her. "Did you meet mother?" She asked a little less awkwardly.

"…yeah." His joy at reuniting with Kyouko was dulled when the mention of her mother came between them. "I got the catalyst." He added with a hint of pride.

"That's wonderful." She seemed to genuinely feel thankful to him. Even though this didn't directly concern her.

"Maybe if she can finally fulfill her wish she will treat her subordinates a little better." He joked dryly. Kyouko's expression shifted to apologetic, which made him feel like an asshole. "I don't mean anything by it! She's just very… goal oriented."

"Please don't be angry with mother. She worked very hard…" Kyouko was the mistress' daughter, but their personalities could not have been farther apart.

It made Akira feel all the more disdain for the master of the mansion.

"You worked hard too, so please take a rest." He said with a smile and pressed Kyouko's hands gently, but determinedly.

"T-that's my…" She wanted to say something, but then changed her mind. It was always like that with this shy girl.

"I'll hit the bed too. So let's meet up after your lessons tomorrow."

"Yes." She nodded.

These small promises kept Akira going. For Kyouko he would bear a hundred harsh words or orders from the mistress. They parted hands, although to Akira's subconscious regret, and then separated. Kyouko moved back to her room and Akira watched her until she disappeared completely from his view. He mildly wondered why she had moved into the hallway.

She couldn't have felt his return and had come rushing for him, right? He grinned childishly at the notion. It almost made him want to embrace her!

No, not yet… Not yet.

He tamed his emotions and walked towards the night quarters. The inside of his room was Spartanic and dreary. A single bed in the corner, a desk to work on and a bookshelf for his studies. There wasn't even a window. With a light tap he activated the crystal based light in the corner and sat down on his hard bed.

Pulling up his pant leg he looked at the blood soaked impromptu bandage. It was still chaffing against the wound. With a twisted face he pulled it off and then applied a tincture from his shelf onto it. One of the advantages of a magi organization was that they had people of all fields in the same building. One of the students knew something about herbal treatments and did amazing work.

It burned for a bit, but soon the pain was numbed.

Akira sighed in relief and lied down tiredly.

Just as he was about to enter dreamland like that, a sudden vibration went through his mind. The tearing wasn't painful, but it was enough to be noticeably bothersome.

This was the bounded field alarm. Someone had passed the initial barrier that was supposed to keep normal people away and now entered the estate. An intruder?

Akira felt heavy, but his curiosity was even greater.

Instinctively he rushed back downstairs and moved right for the entrance. On his way he met Stahl and three other 'students'. Their ages varied greatly, but they were all ready for a fight.

" _The Eyes_ saw him enter through the front gate. He didn't try to hide." A man with mustache and a scarred blind eye explained. His name was Sakatsuki… or something. Akira could not remember the majority of people that came to and left this place.

"Bold." Stahl commented curtly.

They reached the door and took positions. Two at the windows, one at the door and Akira behind Stahl as backup.

They waited impatiently as the man outside reached the door. Through the lookout and the windows they could see him gaze at the garden and surroundings as if he was on a sightseeing tour. Then he finally turned to the door and raised the doorknocker.

 _Knock. Knock._

Two times.

 _Knock_.

The third one came with delay, but it still happened. Three times was the generally agreed on number for a peaceful magus visit. Of course that was a formality that nobody would take seriously in the face of a stranger. He had passed the bounded field without waiting or announcing himself.

Stahl made a hand sign for the others to relax. Then he opened the door. His towering height was intimidating even to his allies, so the intruder would certainly be shocked.

"Greetings stranger. What's your business with the Tohsaka clan?" He asked neutrally.

The man went through his dirt brown hair and slightly lowered his head in greeting. His appearance was rather gruff, but he knew etiquette. After raising his head he looked Stahl straight in the eyes, fearlessly.

"My name is Isaac Collingwood. I was chosen as a Master for the Holy Grail War. May I speak to the overseer of this land?"


	6. The Heiress

**The Heiress**

* * *

The first thing Collingwood saw when he left the plane was an unimaginable crowd of people. Osaka airport was the center of much travel and commerce, so it was to be expected, but even though he just arrived from Lima, he felt somewhat petrified at the sheer volume of people. After years of the hermit life he had unlearned his social skills. He felt all the passengers' eyes on him, although that must have been his paranoia acting up.

For someone who lived many years in London, this much should have been nothing, but the quality of crowds in Japan was eerily unique. When he left Japan last he had lived in a smaller town, not nearly as jam packed with people.

Crushing his anxiety inside his mind, he moved on to receive his bag from the conveyor belt and then left for the train station. There was no airport in Matsumae, so he had to move by train.

As he put the bag on his twitching legs he took deep breaths. The train was reasonably empty for the late hour. The only other person in his direct vicinity was a teenager with spiky brown hair who seemed to be right about to fall asleep. Collingwood noticed the weird angle in which the boy spread his leg to the side. Looked almost like an injury.

He shook his head and focused on more important issues. Thanks to Banin's feint he had gained a head start to the Association. They would only know of his arrival in Japan once he was already in the middle of the Grail War. But that wouldn't be enough. The Church was also present and they were most likely after his head too.

"…" He rubbed his tired eyes and leaned his head on his hand. There were many things he still didn't understand about the land and the war itself. As an outsider he wouldn't get very far in this situation.

The train arrived in Matsumae's central station after roughly one and a half hours. When the station was reached he immediately jumped out and walked into the darkest alley he could find. Old habits died hard.

After inspecting a map he had taken from the tourism stand at the station he moved on to a certain rundown hotel. It was rundown by the business district's standards, but compared to a cottage in the woods anything seemed fancy. Once he moved inside he was greeted by a lone attendant at the reception. It was past midnight already, but this hotel was truly prepared.

The young receptionist looked at him with surprise and hastily set aside her cell phone. She probably hadn't expected anyone to enter at this hour, but more importantly she looked straight at his face.

"G-good evening… sir." She greeted him in broken English. Her accent was thick. Collingwood reminded himself that her reaction was natural. He looked like a foreigner and a rather gruff one at that. So close to Osaka they were used to tourists from overseas.

"Greetings. I would like to rent a room please." He answered in perfectly fluent Japanese without a hint of an accent.

The receptionist first looked surprised, but then he noticed a shameful blush on her pale cheeks. She must have felt bad for assuming he couldn't speak the language. Such shameful behavior would make the hotel look bad.

"Of course! Please tell me your name and how long you would like to stay and we can get you a room right away." Due to her earlier slip up she seemed to be intent on making up for it with good service.

"Isao Dazai. A week for now." He answered calmly and handed her a Japanese pass. In spite of himself he couldn't quite hide his smirk when he saw her baffled reaction.

She must have decided that this odd guest was simply beyond her understanding as she nodded and turned towards the keys.

"Would you like a room with view on the river or the street?"

"Street." He replied swiftly. This as well was unusual for a tourist, as they would certainly have preferred a look at the beautiful waters, but to Collingwood a 'nice view' was one where he could observe the crowds outside.

"As you wish. Here are your keys. If you would please sign here and give us your bank information…"

They finished their business and then she led him upstairs to the first floor. The first room to the right was his now. He thanked her politely and then closed the door. As soon as he heard her retreating steps he moved to check the place for anything suspicious. There were no traps or signs of tempering in any corner or under the bed. The tiny bathroom was clean too.

From the corner of his eyes he spotted an old tube TV. This thing was antiquated even compared to the last model Collingwood had owned himself. It was kind of novel.

He sat down his bag next to the bed and pulled out a few tools. Then he traced the corners of the room and mumbled a few verses. After ten minutes of going in circles he finally stopped and a weak blue glow penetrated the room in every direction before returning to normal. He had put up a warning field. Not the safest measure and crudely formed at that, but he had no time to set up his defenses. For now he just wanted to be alerted if someone barged in here while he was out.

Without much ado he took a small metallic chest with beautiful insignia from his bag and slipped it into his dark brown coat. It was time to visit the overseer.

* * *

As he moved towards the old mansion at the outskirts of town he felt observed. So they had their eyes this far out already.

One might have questioned how he had found the Tohsaka estate so fast, as it was not on the basic map he had obtained, but that was a pointless question to a magus. It was common sense to build one's workshop on the land's ley-lines were the mana flow was the strongest. From his short analyses of the flow he had deduced that there were four ley-lines in Matsumae. Ultimately it was simple guesswork which one the Tohsaka clan had chosen as their base, but this rejection he felt from the old estate was proof of his success.

He purposely didn't let his realization show on his face and simply walked straight through the main gate and down the paved road. The bounded field had reacted unpleasantly, but he wouldn't even flinch at such weak rejection.

The building was truly old, but it had a more Western architectural style than the surrounding suburbs. This was a distinguished family or at least that was what the outer appearance was supposed to suggest. The front door was unexpectedly normal, but the doorknocker had the shape of a phoenix. Typical vanity of old ancestry.

Collingwood knocked three times as was custom for a peaceful visit, but he didn't expect to be welcomed like a normal guest. If things turned for the worst he would manage his escape though, he was confident enough in his abilities.

The door opened immediately, almost as if the huge man in front of him had been waiting in front of it. Collingwood hid his nervousness by pushing his hand through his unkempt hair. The sweat on his back was colder than the night.

"My name is Isaac Collingwood. I was chosen as a Master for the Holy Grail War. May I speak to the overseer of this land?" He asked with a straight smile.

"That's all? Then you can surely back that claim up with some handy proof." His eyes hidden behind the sunglasses probably moved to Collingwood's hands that were hidden inside his pockets.

"Absolutely." He pulled his left hand out and showed the blue seals to the scarred man.

"What would this chosen Master wish to discuss with the mistress?" The door guard hadn't even reacted to the seals and just asked the next question.

"I wish to pay my respects to the overseer as is courtesy for any magus arriving on their land." Collingwood boldly declared with a serious expression.

"Heh." For some reason the bald door guard showed his toothy grin openly. It didn't suit his violent appearance in the slightest. "Is that so? In that case I will inform Ryouko-sama." His eyes were hidden behind sunglasses, but from the edge of his vision he gave the wandering magus a sharp look.

Collingwood felt a single sweat drop slide down his temple. He just noticed that he had held his breath in for a while. He forcefully inhaled and leaned on his right foot. As expected, he really wanted to grab the pack of cigarettes from his chest pocket right now… Somehow he managed to suppress the impulse.

There were still more guards observing him. They sure didn't hold back on intimidation tactics. If he hadn't been so nervous he might have recognized one of those faces.

"Ryouko-sama will receive you in the lounge." Those were the only words the tall man said on return, before moving back inside.

"Much appreciated." Collingwood nodded and followed behind the formidable back of the man.

"Name's Joseph Stahl." The scarred man said over his shoulder.

"A pleasure to meet you." Why would he reveal his name now? Collingwood didn't have the slightest idea.

"You aren't that close to the Association I take it?"

"You could say that." How did he figure it out? Collingwood put a hand to his stubble and focused more closely on Stahl's edgy jaw line. The most likely explanation was that he was the opposite, someone very close to the Clocktower. So did he want to find out how much Collingwood knew about him specifically or what his alignment was?

"Probably for the better." Stahl said ominously.

Before he could inquire what the scarred man meant by that they had already arrived at the lounge. Collingwood swallowed his question and turned towards the door instead. There were still some other mages behind him and Stahl blocked the hallway further in. In other words he was locked on to a single path.

"The mistress does not like impudent behavior. For your own sake I would recommend keeping it brief and civilized." The implication was naturally that any other behavior would be met in kind. Despite Stahl's muscular build, Collingwood was more afraid of that smile on his scarred lips.

The door was opened for him and so he stepped inside the lounge. It was surprisingly small, all things considered. Sitting on a lavish armchair was a middle aged woman – at the very least older than Collingwood – who didn't even face him as he entered.

He carefully stepped around the table and mustered the woman's mask like expression as she seemed to be focused on nothing but the table in front of her. If he was honest she was not unattractive, but her body language spoke volumes of her personality. Rejecting. Strict. Unforgiving. Her shoulders must have been stiff, but her unmoving crossed arms below her bosom might as well have been that of a statue.

Her glasses reflected the swaying fire of the candles around her, which served as the only light source in the room. Her short, satin like black hair was reflecting said light.

Just as he felt self-conscious of how much he was gazing at her, the mistress of the household finally deigned to look at her guest.

"You may take a seat." She gestured at the sofa opposite to her.

"Thank you." Collingwood sat down on the comfy, yet somehow ancient feeling sofa. The glass table separating them seemed rather large from this angle.

"You call yourself Isaac Collingwood?" She didn't betray a hint of recognition.

"Indeed milady. My family name has lost its shine, but I still carry it proudly." He nodded with humility.

"Hmph. So what is it you wish to discuss?" She must have heard his reason from Stahl already, but it was standard etiquette to ask the person in question.

"I came first and foremost to pay my respect to you. My apologies for not announcing my visit to your domain in advance. My business here sprung up on me in a sudden fashion." Sprung right on his left hand that is.

"I understand the circumstances of the ritual. Your tardiness is forgiven." She said without a hint of irony. It truly seemed like she was thinking her words to be gracious.

"Perhaps I am stating the obvious once again, but my stay in this city extends for the entire duration of the ritual." He suddenly added with stronger eyes.

Ryouko Tohsaka looked at him with a raised brow. Then after a few moments of silence she revealed a nasty smile.

What Collingwood had just said was the same as announcing his victory and survival of the war. They were bold words.

"That remains to be seen, but you have my blessings to stay in this city as long as your business will last." Her response was haughty and displayed her superior position all too well. He did not matter to her plans at all.

"I thank you profoundly." He lowered his head just a tad.

Now it was the mistress' turn to follow etiquette. She flicked her fingers and Stahl came into the room carrying a tray with two cups of tea on it. After setting it down between them he left immediately. His loyalty was exemplary.

"Do not hold back. This is fine earl grey." The bespectacled host pushed him to drink.

Could there have been a more transparent test?

Collingwood put the cup to his lips and drank the entire fill of hot tea in one go. It was just cooled enough not to burn his throat.

Ryouko Tohsaka nodded. She didn't touch her own steaming cup.

So that's how it was. This old test showed the amount of trust the conversation partners had in each other. By drinking the tea offered to him, Collingwood had proven that he did not think of his host as someone that would poison him.

And conversely, by not touching hers, Ryouko showed that she did not trust him to refrain from using some kind of trickery to alter the contents of _her_ cup.

Their positions were clear. And yet...

"You are the first and only magus since the Holy Grail War was announced to show up in front of me to do the basic courtesies." She said and crossed her legs. This was the first time he saw her move into a pose that could even remotely be described as comfortable.

This was important information. Either not all Masters had assembled yet or the magi who had entered the city were so withdrawn or unorthodox that they would not consider approaching the overseer. In fact she might not even know most of them. That is if she wasn't lying.

"It's in the nature of this ritual to be careful I presume." Collingwood put a hand to his chin and smiled dryly. The tea had actually been invigorating, even if he had no idea what it tasted like with how fast he had swallowed it all.

"Are you suggesting you are careless then?"

"Nothing of the sort. I am just aware of the distinguished Tohsaka name. It would be an insult to doubt your intentions." He replied smoothly.

"Indeed." She seemed to be less hostile now. Perhaps she was amused by his old-fashioned lip service. "It confounds me that you have not come out with your true intentions yet. Would you not consider making that distinguished name wait an insult as well?"

Her icy words shot right through Collingwood's calm façade. Ryouko Tohsaka was used to this kind of banter. In fact she was always in control, he could tell now. Her apparent relaxation was just another card in her hands that was supposed to make him slip up.

Collingwood swallowed unintentionally, but passed it off as clearing his throat.

"There is indeed one more issue…" He put up one finger.

"You are not about to suggest an alliance?" She made a joke that was not at all funny. Her vocabulary did not include comedy, only tragedies.

"…" This was a trap. Passing it off as a joke was an insult. Agreeing would put him into a position where he would lose his independence. And denying her…

He dug deep into the crevices of his mind. There had to be some loophole! Adrenaline pushed his pulse to the limit. This conversation was more dangerous than most battles he had fought.

The dragon in front of him had already decided to swallow him whole. But would she not be satisfied with simply chewing on his limbs a bit?

"I fear that would benefit neither of us." Collingwood said as if possessed by a completely different person. His body was relaxed and he leaned back for the first time.

"Oh?" She was awaiting his explanation before jumping to conclusions. He could only admire her countenance.

"You have created an organization that the Association sees as problematic. Wherever a clan gathers too many followers the Clocktower will have a sharp eye on procedures. Is that not why they sent Joseph Stahl to watch you?" The words trickled out of his mouth so slickly that he couldn't believe it himself.

"…you did your homework." For the first time her emotionless eyes were forming a glare. Those cruel eyes that were befitting of the woman that was nicknamed 'The Prosecutor' by the Association were now truly looking at him as an enemy for the first time.

The dossier Banin had given him really came in handy after all.

"Naturally. I assume that your reputation would only suffer from allying with a runaway magus designated for sealing." Collingwood smiled darkly.

Ryouko grinded her teeth behind her thin lips. She now realized the true purpose of his visit.

"Under that light we would both benefit if I stayed as your opponent. Unless you would prefer certain rumors spreading among your 'associates'?"

"You have overlooked one possibility." The mistress did not hide her hostility in the slightest, but there was a foundation behind her eyes. This foundation was made of pure granite. "I could capture you and hand you over to the council right now." That way her loyalty was not questioned and Collingwood would be made the fool.

Collingwood's left eye twitched slightly, but he did not break his smile.

"True." He wasn't delusional. She had the longer lever in these negotiations. But! "I still believe that I will be more useful to you as a participant of this war."

"Let's hear your reasoning _Mr._ Collingwood." She said with a toxic tone. It was obvious that she had already made up her mind.

"I am a wild card, but one you are aware of." His words were starting to become more forceful. "I do not wish to form an alliance with you. For the sake of my independence. You do not seek an alliance with me, because of your delicate relationship with the Clocktower. But there is another way. We can agree to a _ceasefire_." He raised his hands to the sides.

"That was all you had to say?" She looked down on him with a hint of disappointment. Maybe he should have felt honored that she had expected more of him.

"I am not suggesting this because I am afraid to face you on the field of battle milady." His hands formed fists and were then pulled back to his legs as he leaned forward. "But I will not let myself get captured."

Her eyes widened.

"You would cast away your life so foolishly?" She had noticed the metal chest in his pocket as he had leaned forward. Her guard was up and she seemed ready to call for her subordinates at any moment.

"My life is a precious thing to me." A chuckle escaped his dry throat. "Which is why I would prefer to choose its end on my own terms."

"Threatening me will cost you dearly." Her voice was almost sharp enough to cut him physically.

"Nothing would be further from my intentions." Collingwood shook his head. "I would not dare threaten the person that will assure that I can be useful in this Holy Grail War."

"Get to the point." Her patience had run thin the moment he had shown her his trump card.

"I request that you keep the Church off my back."

"What?" This was not what she had expected, he could tell right away.

"You see, additionally to the Association, I somehow managed to make an enemy of the Church as well. As they are overseeing this ritual as the neutral faction I would hope that I am granted immunity… Yet I have my doubts." He averted his eyes.

"Then what makes you think I would have any authority over those simpletons?"

"You are the overseer of this land, are you not?" He replied simply.

The expression on her face was priceless. Pride was a cardinal sin, perhaps the Church was on to something with its preachings. If she admitted that she could not keep the Church on a leash in her own territory, then what was the distinguished Tohsaka name worth?

' _Checkmate._ '

"I see." She crossed her arms and averted her head in anger. "I could do such a thing. But what is my gain in this?" It was absolutely outrageous that she was still thinking of herself in such a superior position. But that was probably what made her the head of a clan and him just a lowly outcast.

"As I mentioned before, with a ceasefire we could both profit. You keep the Church off my back and I will not get in the way of your plans."

"Is that the extent of your bargain?" She was not impressed.

Collingwood closed his eyes. All or nothing. That was his style, wasn't it?

He opened his coat again. The chest was placed on the table.

Ryouko could not tear her eyes from it. After all she must have considered it a bomb or something along those lines.

"This is my Mystic Code." He revealed the contents of the chest. It was filled to the brim with thin and long needles.

The reaction to this unpredictable action was equally shocking.

 _Ryouko_ _Tohsaka laughed._

* * *

Collingwood walked out of the room with a pale face. His hair was hanging down in sweaty strains.

But he was still alive. And free.

"Happy to do business with you Mr. Collingwood." Stahl slapped him on the back jovially. He must have been truly delighted to see him leave with as many limbs as he owned when he had entered.

"…" He had no reply to such ironic words.

A quintet of magi was escorting him out of the mansion. As he recovered his countenance he noticed the boy in front of him. His hair was familiar… and that stiff leg as if an injury had been treated recently...

 _The train._

Yes, he had seen him on the train headed from Kyoto.

He didn't know what to make of that, but he filed the information away in his mind.

Just as he had decided to think of more important matters the teenage boy suddenly looked into a fork of the hallway and stopped in his tracks. As he was walking in front the entire procession was stopped.

"Akira, what's the hold up?" Stahl growled from behind Collingwood.

"Uhm… n-nothing. I need to… take a look at the barrier." He excused himself fishily and ran into the hallway facing to the east.

Collingwood watched him turn the corner and he could have sworn that he saw a golden shimmer. Blonde hair.

His back was roughly pushed forward by Stahl.

"Sorry, good personnel is hard to come by these days." His words were joking, but he was definitely annoyed by the boy's actions.

Collingwood did not even hear him. What he had just seen at the corner of his eyes had completely changed his perspective on the entire situation of the Tohsaka clan. His heart felt like it was about to burst.

All he could do was not to let Stahl and his colleagues realize this.

They reached the exit after an eternity and Collingwood was let go with nothing more than a nod. The door slammed shut behind him.

"That went better than expected." He couldn't help but speak aloud into the cool night. His hands were shaking.

For all his bravado and planning he had ended up barely scraping by again. At first he had shown his submissive side, looking like a lowly runaway magus that was afraid of opposing a large enemy. All for the mistress to lower her guard. Then he had bluffed his way into a position where he could negotiate. And finally he had laid his cards bare… and succeeded.

How many years had it been since he had engaged in a battle of words rather than fists?

At least the Church was now less of a threat. That left him with just five deadly enemies that would do anything to end him and his ambitions.

According to Ryouko's explanations the summoning deadline would be the day after tomorrow. It was past midnight now, so that would mean it was actually tomorrow night.

In other words: tomorrow the war would truly begin. It was time to summon his most useful tool for the hardships ahead.


	7. Stardust

**Happy New Year faithful readers ~  
**

* * *

 **Stardust**

* * *

Collingwood slowly climbed down the ladder into the closed off underground area of Matsumae. His arms tightly held on to the metal bars to counter the immense weight on his shoulders. On his back was a heavy bag filled to the brim with items of all kinds. He had taken along everything from his bag at the hotel and added some stuff he had bought in suspicious shops across the backalleys during the fading daylight.

This was the last night where he could perform the summoning and he was fully prepared – at least as far as he could prepare himself for something so impossible.

He jumped down the last fourth of the ladder and landed heavily on his feet. The inside of these tunnels was darker than the night itself. The emergency lights had long since been shut down. Nobody was allowed or expected here.

As he dusted of his pants and started his journey through the dark he flicked on the lighter from his pocket and lit one of the candles he had retrieved from the overflowing bag. The small cone of light surrounding him now threatened to be swallowed by the thick darkness.

He followed the winding path to find a good and even spot for his summoning. These weren't the sewers, so he wasn't afraid of stepping into anything revolting, but the rustling and swishing in the dark revealed that he wasn't completely alone. Rats he assumed. This underground area had been built for the sake of a train system, but the district had already received an above ground line. The whole incident was chalked up to bad planning of the city officials.

For Collingwood these were perfect circumstances. One of the four ley-lines crossed this dark place below the eyes of the city. It might have been sealed off, but the locks were almost laughably easy to circumvent. Down here he could easily perform the summoning rites and call upon his very own Servant. A heroic spirit made familiar.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw a short dead end carved into a sidearm of the tunnel. Excavation had stopped into that direction early, so it was barely more than an unevenly carved room. He nodded satisfied and moved into the small area. To make it completely visible he sat down a circle of candles and lit them all in a hurry.

The small room shone in the flickering light of candles and revealed just enough space for perhaps two family cars and a motorcycle. Collingwood scratched his head at the odd comparison. He must have reawakened some of his childhood love for cars back when he drove to Lima… Ironic, as he was far from a good driver.

Leaving meaningless contemplations aside, he prepared the summoning circle as soon as possible. The circle had to be drawn perfectly, the symbols symmetrically and the six pointed star in unwavering straight lines. These were the principles of summoning any spirit or familiar and the basics usually held true even for more complex beings. The foundations could not be dismissed.

The red chalk he used was of good quality, as were the candles burning away in the stale tunnel air. He placed several silver coins at the tips of the star and didn't forget to add some bone dust to the symbols between. He had only heard that those were strong anchors for the sake of summoning a wind spirit in some odd religion, but superstition had its origin in distorted facts.

Finally he wiped his hands on his clothes and then dunked them into purified water. Purified not by a priest, but by magic. To shake hands with the supernatural one had to be pure of spirit and body. That was what his old teacher had said when explaining a similar ritual.

Collingwood took a deep breath. He had no idea what he would summon, let alone if it would work at all. Midnight was drawing close, so the perfect time for the ritual had already arrived. There was no time to be wasted.

And yet...

And yet he felt hesitant. To summon his Servant was the one and only requirement to join the Holy Grail War. As soon as this hero was summoned to his side their fates were interwoven and the fight unavoidable. Death was beckoning him from the other side of that red circle.

But also _hope_. He thought himself a cool headed and rational magus. One that would not start a deal that he could not predict the end result of. But this whole war, the desire for the omnipotent grail, all of it was a quest for _hope_.

He wanted to win. He wanted to be free!

His gaze downcast, he raised his left hand with the Command Seals on it.

Kicking aside the overflowing bag (which let some of its contents spill over the floor by accident) he focused his mind only on drawing the mana in the air towards him and the circle.

" _I bind the chains of eternity to my soul and call for the glory of the stars!"_

He opened his summoning rites. There was no particular rule to summoning a familiar. Words had power only for those who believed in them. Which words would have that affect varied from magus to magus and Collingwood was simply letting his heart do the talking.

 _"Be thy spirit mine blade. May I be thy heart. For the pleasure of great victory, for the pain of defeat!"_

Sparks started to flow across his hand and then jumped over to the circle which send it alight in a glowing red!

" _Enduring the death of the past, the end of tomorrow, the fate of eternity! I call out to the stars; join my side for the glory of battle!"_

His eyes were closed as he recited the spell. The candles around him started to glow brighter and the flames seemed to swirl around him.

" _Appear upon this world once more! Great spirit from the Throne!"_

He closed his hand to a fist and the red symbols inside the circle started to rise above ground like a second circle had been born and rose up to the ceiling. In its midst was nothing but pure energy.

" _I plead to the stars to heed my call!"_

The finishing line completed the circle and just like the star of the North, a single painfully bright light appeared inside the swirling energy!

Isao Collingwood opened his eyes despite the eye rending fire that engulfed his sight.

In front of him the energy took form, became more and more distinct, before flashing so blindingly that he feared to turn blind.

As he regained his sight all the candles were extinguished by the shockwave and the darkness of an abandoned tunnel returned.

Had it worked?! He tried to see so desperately, but his eyes still hurt and there was no light to witness his surroundings. The only reason he had not been blown away by the shockwave was that he was the anchor for the summoning.

Still holding up his hand as if to shield his eyes he felt a presence in front of him. This was the unmistakable aura of a being from another plain. And at the same time, it seemed painfully familiar and melancholic.

"From one darkness to another." A voice rang through the echoing tunnel.

Then he heard the sound of fingers being flicked. The next moment all the candles around them lit up anew.

Collingwood's eyes widened.

In front of him stood not a tall hero of legend, not a shrewd looking strategist of the battlefield. Not even the imposing cloaked presence of a killer.

It was a young woman with a smile so sad it almost made his heart convulse in pain.

His eyes wandered from her face across her body. She was clad in a black and violet dress, which led into a wide skirt down to her knees. Immensely long ribbons fluttered across the curves and folds of the cloth and seemed to be suspended in an eternal ghostly breeze.

Her pale skin stood out in front of the dark background of the sparsely lit stone walls. Lilac hair was playfully running across her ears and shoulders, cut short just after caressing the shoulder blades.

She went through that silky hair with one of her hands, clad in long black gloves that reached up to her elbows. Those slender fingers touched one of the two flowing ribbons in her hair, equally mysterious as those across her dress.

Collingwood stopped his gaze from moving over her body and returned to look her into the purple eyes. Her even face had seemed so sad before, but now she gave him an entirely different look. Clearly she was mustering him the same way he had been staring at her, except she did so with dignity and a hint of amusement.

"The Grail truly has a rotten sense of humor." She said derisively. "To summon me in this form of all things…" She let her hand fall back down and moved along her waist. "Are you my Master then?"

The question was spoken with such a carefree tone that it took Collingwood a few seconds to reply.

"That… is correct." He nodded with one hand over his mouth to cover up his surprise.

"No need to hesitate. Servant Caster, at your service." She put her hands to her skirt and curtsied in front of him, like she would to an audience inside a theater.

She told him not to hesitate, but how could he do anything but? This was not what he had bargained for. This… frail looking girl did not give off the legendary aura of a hero. Not even the dark persuasion of an anti-hero. This girl was… she was…

"Who are you?" He asked with a coarse voice and glared at her.

"Oh? Do you mean to say that you did not know who you called out to, my Master?" She raised an eyebrow and looked at him as if he was a fool. The sly smile curving on her lips was not helping. Although she only reached up to his chest, she seemed to be looking down on him.

"…" He felt hopelessly outclassed somehow. But that was unnecessary hesitation. This young woman he had summoned, even if by accident, was still a Servant and he was her Master. Which meant she was his tool to command! "Tell me your name." This time it was not a question, but a command, as befitting of her Master.

But…

"Hahaha!" She gave him a truly amused laugh instead of bowing her head. "You see, my inexperienced Master, I am a great magician, a truly masterful _servant_ you might say. But there is one thing you would do well to remember."

She pointed her slim index finger at his chest and gave him a dignified smile.

"I serve everyone, but I bow to _none_."

He did not comprehend. The words coming from her lips made no sense. And more vexingly, she seemed dead set on ridiculing him. Her presence was that of a wolf in sheep's clothing. So very frail, yet so incredibly dangerous. That finger pointed at him might very well have been a sword. He took a step back with cold sweat running down his back.

"That being said, a pleasure to make your acquaintance Master." She tilted her head with a softer smile.

Collingwood turned away with a hand over his forehead. What had he done? Where did he go wrong? He had heard that not all Servants were obedient, but this one seemed to have an entirely different perspective on who was in control. His eyes noticed a faint blue glow from the left of his perception and he realized that it were the star shaped Command Seals.

His heart began to pump faster. Right, he still had a trump card. With this he could _make_ her listen.

He turned back to face her, but she had long since sat down on the carved rock wall that had created a small ledge similar to a seat.

"It is none of my business how you go about using those little trump cards of yours." She said, casually glancing at his Command Seals. "But perhaps you shan't waste them on something as trivial as a name?" That head cock again. It made his stomach churn.

"Just a name? The true name of a Servant is-" He stopped himself from continuing. There was no need to explain this to a Heroic Spirit. The true name of a Servant was incredibly important. To know the Servant's identity was to know their history and legend. Logically speaking, most heroes found their end at some point in those legends, and not rarely due to a weakness that was exploited by their enemies. For most heroic tales were simultaneously tragedies on the folly of man.

To suggest that it mattered so little, just what was this girl getting at? Perhaps it was her youth that made her so reckless? She appeared to not be older than perhaps seventeen. In her late teens at best. Surely the Grail summoned Servants in their prime, but this youthful appearance did not help her words sound any less dismissive and childish to his ears.

Yet he knew if he forced her to reveal her name right here and now she would never forgive him. And more importantly, it was a waste of his precious three Command Seals. Seeing how she acted now there would be a lot of situations where forcing his will on her was more important.

"I shall tell you at an opportune time, I guarantee it." She nodded and jumped off the ledge to land gracefully in front of him again. If anything, she seemed full of life and energy now.

For some reason Collingwood felt that this was wrong. The moment the lights had went back on he had seen another expression on that carefree face, did he not?

He pushed those thoughts aside to face the more immediate problem.

"You can't expect me to accept that!" He growled.

"I did not expect to be summoned by such a mysterious Master either. Not knowing who he summoned, not able to hide his emotions behind that dirty looking face. What is a Servant to do?" She chuckled at his reflexive hand motion to his face.

He hastily returned his hand to his pocket and gave her a grim expression.

"Do not turn so very hostile please. I have no intention of getting in your way henceforth. We are partners in this dance of death, are we not?" She extended her hand towards him.

It was impossible to tell how serious she was, but having lost all initiative, the only thing that was left to Collingwood was spite. He turned away and started collecting the contents of his bag that had been strewn about the tunnel from the summoning's shockwave. He wiped a bit of red chalk from one of the books and looked at in confusion. He really had stuffed everything into that bag, even meaningless things it seemed. This particular book was as pointless as they came. The faded cover was not at all like those grimoires he was usually handling. He shrugged and put it away as well.

"So that's how it will be. I am looking forward to this performance more and more." She chuckled again and retrieved her hand gracefully.

When he finished gathering his things Collingwood turned his back to Caster and sighed.

"We are going to have a look around town." He said with a mix of frustration and forced objectivity.

"I would not mind a little sightseeing tour of this modern age." She agreed all too happily.

He could barely suppress a sharp retort, but managed anyway by painfully biting his lower lip.

* * *

"Why are you not going into spirit form?" He asked without acknowledging her playful steps next to his rough march. She kept up surprisingly easily.

"I wish to feel the wind upon my face." She replied vaguely and checked out the flickering neon signs of an electronics shop.

Even though he had only known her for a short time, he felt like this was a very Caster-like reply already.

After getting her fill of staring at modern appliances she returned to his side. He had been waiting uneasily inside the empty street. Nobody was around at this hour, but there could still have been stragglers late from work or drinking in a bar. This whimsical Caster stood out like a sore thumb, so he would have preferred not to be seen with her.

"And is it not a waste to speak to a formless spirit if you can talk to _me_ instead?" She lightly spun on her heels and her skirt fluttered widely, like a great wheel.

"…" He covered his forehead once more in frustration. She seemed to be deliberate with those girly motions. "What did you mean when you said the Grail summoned you in that 'form'?" He asked to bridge the awkwardness. Their route towards the city center was still long.

"Oh that? I did tell you I am a great magician, did I not?" She clapped her hands and then snapped her fingers.

In a moment her body started to dissolve… No, it was more like she liquefied in black substance. He watched her with a shocked expression as her soft features disappeared into blackness… and then reformed into something else. She grew taller and the edges of her anatomy became more defined. Her once silky and beautiful hair was now taking the dirt brown color of his own. And what stood in front of him was clearly a man.

He looked at her… no, himself.

"This is a simple trick I have at my disposal." A perfect copy of Collingwood said in his own voice. She had mimicked him to the last detail, down to every single hair. For all intents and purposes there were now two of him on this deserted street.

"You are a… shapeshifter?" He asked with a dry throat.

"Indeed." His own voice replied, before the gruff face dissolved and she returned to her porcelain skin tone and petite form.

"Then that means…"

"That this is not my true form? You could say so." She nodded with a lighthearted shrug. "Perhaps I am a man, perhaps a child or maybe a different species entirely. The Grail deigned this to be the appropriate form for me to take as the true core." She explained, but there was just a hint of resentment at the end.

"So you are a man?" He asked with confusion.

"Or a dragon if you would prefer me to be one." She said with a sarcastic smile. "Do not get too hung up on appearances my poor Master. But why would I need to tell you? Clearly appearances do _not_ matter much to you." She once again took a jab at his poor looks and then stepped forward to overtake him.

Collingwood felt at a loss. This revelation was actually giving him more confidence. If this girl was actually something entirely else and this was just one of many forms… that would truly make him feel better.

"Your relief is showing already. Too simple." She grinned over her shoulder.

But that personality was still a major issue…

* * *

"Impressive." Caster admired the great skyscraper in front of her. Her soft features were showing a childlike wonder.

"This is the tallest building in Matsumae city." More than 70 stories and an unparalleled view on the entire city.

Incidentally this building was settled in a huge plaza full of other tall buildings and plasma monitors displaying ads. Furthermore there were dozens of people walking everywhere, even at this late hour. He could feel some of their gazes upon their backs, so he pulled Caster around the corner behind the back entrance of the building. She let herself be dragged along without resistance. Her gloved hand was soft…

"So we are going up there." She looked at him expectantly.

"That's the idea. I just need to find a way to crack the security at the backdoor…" He scratched his stubble and mentally went through the items in his bag. Fooling modern technology was easy for a magus, even if he barely understood its principles.

"Walking so many stairs would be awfully exhausting." Caster seemed displeased.

What was she on about? _She_ could at least turn into spirit form at any time and avoid exerting herself. What kind of Servant complained about exercise in the first place?

He kept his comments inside and just gave a pained sighed.

"You should have more faith in me Master." She teased and pulled something from inside her dress. He glanced at her from the side and wondered what she was doing. "For me this kind of distance is nothing."

In her hands she held cards. Collingwood analyzed them and realized they were… tarot cards. Something he would expect to see in the repertoire of a diviner or soothsayer.

"My Astral Cards cannot predict your distant future, but they shall guide your way to the more immediate goal." She said with a friendly smile. She pushed the first card against the air where it stayed magically stuck. Then she did the same with four more of them all ordered in a circle about her own size.

Collingwood could feel the prana that was compressed inside these cards. They were about to burst! And each individual card seemed to have more energy stored inside it than he could produce in a week…

"Opening a gate is as easy as turning the doorknob." She flicked the upper card casually and with a silent flash the five cards connected via energy lines (forming a pentagram in the process) and tore a hole into the air!

Beyond it was blackness. But it was the blackness of a star sprinkled sky.

"What…?!" The words got stuck in his throat as he was playfully pushed through the portal. Afraid of falling he shielded his face with his arms, but the fall ended as soon as it had begun. He landed flatly on a concrete floor. With a fast beating heart he pushed himself up and explored his surroundings. There was a small building close by with an entrance.

As he got up he saw a breathtaking view. Beyond the railing he saw the entirety of Matsumae spread out before him. The blinking lights of the business district, the distant green waves of the forest and park and the light reflecting waters of the river.

He was standing on the rooftop that he had been looking up to just seconds ago.

"My my, there is nothing quite as cathartic as looking down on the world from high above." Caster commented after stepping out of her Astral Gate. She seemed actually less overwhelmed than Collingwood when taking in the view.

He wasn't afraid of heights, but he felt some respect in front of the railing that separated him from a rather long fall. Leaning against it he took a good look at the important places of the Grail War's battlefield.

In the far distance he could see the Tohsaka estate. To his right was the not so distant town hall. In the west he could make out one of the residential areas and a high school. If he turned around he would surely have seen the docks of the river that led to the sea just a few kilometers away. He didn't know its name yet, but his hotel was right next to it, so he would find out fast.

Not so noticeable was the forest at the outskirts of town that was surrounded at two sides by family houses. The only other spot of green was the park he had seen before. It was pretty big for a city park.

And finally he looked at the well lit sports stadium beyond the inner city and just outside the suburbs. It was one of Matsumae's biggest attractions.

Somewhere in this varied battleground hid six Masters and their Servants, ready to kill each other at any time.

Ryouko Tohsaka had told him that the rules were to only fight at night with as few witnesses as possible, but those stray Masters that had come here might not be people which honored the basic rules of mage society.

"Have you an idea of the geography now?" Caster sat on the railing next to him in a death defying pose that seemed to be predestined to make her fall down the skyscraper.

"I can't make out the details… but roughly, yes." He nodded.

"Knowing your place in the world is important." She seemed pleased and then pulled out another handful of cards. "Shall we return to the common ground that all humans wander?"

Collingwood stared at the streets below and wondered how far Caster's gates could take them. And just how much prana would she waste one each jump?

"I am right here, you know?" She tapped his thoughtful face with one finger and made him snap out of his mind's world. The sudden touch surprised him so much that he stumbled back. "You have the mien of a man that did not have much company in life. It is acceptable to ask questions to the person they concern." She joked.

"I know that." He tried to get his pounding heart back in control. Somehow he had distanced himself from Caster's existence as a person and simply looked upon her as a tool. As soon as he planned or analyzed her powers he was retreating into his shell, but now things were different.

Upon seeing him act so confused…

Why were her purple eyes saying 'You are not alone anymore'?

Why did he actually feel… relieved?

The moment where they just looked at each other seemed to last for an eternity.

But it also ended in an instant.

"Then tell me about those Gates of yours." He mumbled and turned his head back to the view below.

"Gladly. They are just a little trick I have mastered. Distance is after all simply a thing of perspective." Her small finger flipped the tarot cards in the air and they automatically moved into a pentagram formation.

"I don't understand."

"Oh? But there is truly no easier way to put it." She pretended to be distraught.

"How much does one 'Gate' cost you?" Collingwood forced himself not to get mad and just kept questioning.

"About this much perhaps?" She held her index finger and thumb apart a small distance.

Collingwood was clasping the railing in increasing impatience. His eye twitched.

"How far?" He pressed out. Considering the height of this skyscraper it was probably around 100 meters.

"As far as I can see." She said with a wistful voice.

"Seriously?" He was surprised to hear that. Teleportation… no wormholes in general were far beyond normal thaumaturgy and required intense amounts of mana. The only well known user of such magic was _Zelretsch Schweinorg_ himself and he was able to traverse _dimensions_. Comparing a magus to a sorcerer was complete idiocy anyway. Just how powerful was Caster?

"Distance is just a thing of perspective." She repeated. "But I can only easily connect what I see. If the Gate was beyond say, that building." She pointed at another skyscraper to their left. "It would take me considerably more effort. For I would need to understand the perspective of someone else. It would be wasteful indeed."

So creating Gates to places outside her sight would require more prana. Collingwood felt for the first time that she was making sense… in her own weird way. In that case they would have a huge advantage to most other Masters. Traversing the city with Caster's Astral Gates was a strategic miracle.

"Incidentally, creating many Gates at once will require me to focus on several perspectives as well. It honestly makes me feel a little nauseous." She was treating her logic breaking magic like it was a carnival ride.

"I see." He had no idea why they would need several Gates at once anyway, so it didn't matter.

"The wind is somewhat chilly, would you mind returning now?"

He remembered that she had already asked him to return down once. Was it because she felt cold in the breeze up here? His own coat protected him quite well, but Caster's legs were only covered in thin knee-high stockings. Her feet should have been fine in those fancy shoes though.

"Yeah let's move to that area close to the river." He pointed in the direction of the hotel. The night was still not over, but he would be more at ease in their base. First came the plans, then they could go searching for other Masters.

"As you wish." She activated the Astral Gate and urged him to step inside. Beyond the tear in space he saw the dark side-alley that should have been so far away.

* * *

It was late into the night, maybe early morning. Collingwood suppressed a yawn as he stomped through the dirty alley and accidentally kicked a trash bag. Some cat hissed at him.

Caster was still moving behind him without a care.

Looking at it from this perspective he seemed like a sketchy guy trying to lure an innocent high-school girl into a dangerous place… A cosplaying high-school girl with eyes as sharp as any sketchy con artists'.

They stepped out onto another abandoned street. No lights were coming from the windows around them. This sleepy block of family homes was dead silent in the night. The hotel was still a few streets over.

"Caster…" He mumbled between a yawn and scratching his face.

"Yes Master?" She replied with a weirdly sweet tone.

"Say, did you really feel cold up there?"

"Do you doubt the frailty of my beautiful skin?"

"Tsk." He clicked his tongue and went through his hair. Even when he tried to be tactful she just shot his words right back at him. "Someone watched us, right?" Suddenly he became serious.

"Just as we could witness the beauty of the world below, an eagle eyed watcher would see my beauty above." She spun her finger a few times playfully and then suddenly pointed at the other end of the road. A small orb of light separated from her fingertip and whizzed down the street.

 _Slash._

A hyper fast parry dispersed the small light ball in an instant.

The man had surely been standing in the shadows the entire time, but only when he moved his long spear did he seem to truly register in Collingwood's mind.

A tall man with light leather armor. A dark helmet crowned his head, but it was completely open at the front, revealing his manly, yet still handsome face. He was wearing a black eye-patch over his right eye, which still seemed lighter than his pitch-black hair that flowed so openly from the helmet and down to his back. His one visible eye was of a glowing silver color.

The spear in his hand did not seem special on first sight. A simple wooden pole with a metallic tip. More impressive was the huge sword on his belt. Now that looked like the weapon of an important hero. Sheathed as it was, there was no telling how its blade would glow in the lampposts artificial light.

This inhuman presence made Collingwood move his hands to the needles in his pockets. He could tell with one glance that he would lose in a fight. This knight in front of him was not doing more than raising his spear, but he already seemed deadlier than all the Executors or Enforcers he had faced before combined.

That was the aura of a monster beyond human understanding.

Caster stepped in front of Collingwood as if it was natural.

"You see well for a one-eyed knight." She called out to the dark haired Servant.

"You made no attempt to hide Servant Caster." He answered in a stoic voice and walked forward. Even these slow steps felt like a threat.

"Why should I hide? Do you presume yourself so terrifying?" Caster shrugged and materialized her Astral Cards in her hands.

"We will see." The intimidating Servant leaned his spear on the road and waited for something.

In that moment Collingwood looked up to one of the rooftops nearby. A shadow moved away by jumping from building to building. That must have been this eye-patched Servant's Master.

He started moving in the direction the figure had disappeared to.

"Master?" Caster called out to him before he could move past the enemy Servant.

"If you are as great as you say, then you can take care of things here." Collingwood replied seriously. "You will last until I finish his Master, right?"

Caster, for the first time since her summoning, looked at him in genuine surprise. Then her expression turned rigid and she gave him a dangerous smile.

"What if he has a cursed weapon that can impale my heart in a single strike?"

"He will be wary of the same thing from you. I have _faith_ in your ability _great magician_." He replied slyly before running off.

Caster stared after him as her previous words had so handily been thrown back at her.

Surprisingly enough the enemy Servant let Collingwood pass without problem. His one eye was only focused on Caster.

"You trust each other greatly." He said solemnly and spun his spear in his hand before getting into a battle stance.

"A gross exaggeration." She replied with a sigh. "It seems he does not think me much more than a convenient tool."

"Are you not?" The man replied calmly.

"You are an utterly unpleasant one." Caster replied with squinted eyes and unleashed a torrent of photon bullets from her hands.


	8. Clash

**I'll admit, I expected people to wildly theorize as soon as Servants showed up. Look at you being all patient! lol  
**

* * *

 **Clash**

* * *

The road was quiet. It was as if the town had become a graveyard. Neither humans nor animals seemed to have a place in this night.

The only ones daring to break the silence in that atmosphere were two beings that had long since stopped being human. They were more and yet less.

Marks of impacts and burns covered the formerly pristine road and lampposts around them. Dozens of deflected attacks had created such an unseemly sight.

"You have yet to make me move Servant Caster." The one-eyed knight said with a straightened back that spoke of his confidence.

"Perhaps. Think of it this way then: Did I ever make the _attempt_ to move you?" Caster stood just as tall as her opponent.

"I see. Then it is my duty to make the first step." The man raised his spear and got into position.

Caster felt a single drop of sweat move across her face. She had showered the stoic Servant with countless light missiles and photon bullets, but he had deflected each and every attack. His speed and perception were top notch.

She raised her Astral Cards and the moment she jumped to the side, her long ribbons flowing beautifully behind, the spear stabbed the air right where she had been standing.

Her hand was raised and she shot a volley of magic missiles from it, which the enemy Servant dodged and then followed up with a rain of stabs. The tip of his wooden spear was still made of metal and as deadly as it looked, even to her.

Using her unexpected flexibility she jumped on her hands and then pushed herself off into the air where she placed two astral cards. The man's spear was relentless as it already cut through the cards, which exploded in bright light.

Caster propelled herself through the air by jumping off a wall and then created a violet shield another card in the last second as the spear penetrated even beyond the flashbang.

' _He ignores visual distractions_.' She surmised at his straight glare that didn't seem affected by the light. Only a truly driven man could be so unaffected by the pain in his eye. Or was it simply one of his abilities?

The shield was crushed, but Caster lightly landed on her feet and created a second one. The enemy Servant rammed his spear downwards and broke the new shield yet again. They seemed like paper to his weapon.

Strange. Albeit not one of her stronger defenses, she had not expected him to destroy them quite so easily. She spun around and dodged an attack aimed for her heart and then blocked the incoming heavy kick with a new shield. This time it lasted the impact and she used that opening to create several photon bullets that rained upon the man's chest.

The shower hit him point blank, but somehow he managed to pull back and spun his spear in a circular motion to annihilate all remaining shots at once.

They both stood facing each other and waited for the next move.

"I knew something was off. It is not that you deflect all my attacks. You never had any need to." She pointed at him. "Your magic defense is extraordinary. That is an ability granted only to the Saber and Lancer classes."

"Is that so?" The man cocked his head dismissively and held his spear over his shoulder. The huge sword on his belt was still sheathed. He had not once attempted to draw it. Perhaps it was his trump card.

"Now the question remains. Which are you?" Saber or Lancer? The spear didn't seem all that special. It would not surprise her if it was a red herring.

Caster raised her hand and then shot a focused energy beam from it which the black haired servant blocked with his spear. She then placed a card in the air and jumped off the lamppost next to her shooting him from above. Then from behind. The side.

Each time he spun around and kept blocking. He was waiting for her rain of attacks to end.

She landed on top of a garden gate - and that's when the Servant threw his spear! Surprised by the uncharacteristic action she hastily created three layers of shields, but they were all crushed completely in a second. By leaning back she had barely managed to dodge the slowed spear, but in return it cut off one of her ribbons, showing just how close it had been.

She rolled over the road and stood up just in time to block the incoming gauntlet with a projected shield that was thrice as thick as all previous ones.

The dark silver gauntlet faded and left only a black leather covered fist.

"Is your armor all that encumbering?" She questioned with a smile.

"Indeed. You are a swift one, so I would do well to increase my attack speed." The spear casually returned to his hand.

' _A curse that binds them together._ ' She came to understand why he was so freely letting go of his precious weapon. It would return to him no matter what happened.

The eye-patched man dissolved all of his remaining armor until he stood before her in just his leather garments and chain mail.

"The swiftness of my feet is not the only thing I have to offer." She flicked her fingers and suddenly the air around them was shining in a hundred glowing stars!

Everywhere across the path Caster had taken Astral Cards were hanging in the air. They surrounded them in a dome like formation.

"So that was their purpose." Apparently this knight had noticed them already.

"May you drown in the sheen of my stardust!" She spread her arms apart and all the cards released a rain of exploding energy bullets at once. Even with the class's magic resistance and his impressive reflexes, he would not be able to block this 360° shower.

The knight was completely swallowed by light and explosions.

The last she saw of him was a dark glare.

After the explosions stopped shaking the street the smoke soon dissipated. Caster materialized more cards and sighed woefully.

The knight stood there, without as much as a scratch.

"Your attacks lack conviction woman." He said with a hint of disappointment.

"It seems it was indeed futile. That sword of yours is not as useless as it appears." She squinted and mustered the sheathed sword. Half of her magic attacks had been completely dispersed when they made contact with the knight's left side. It shielded that side completely. She had noticed the lack of response when she attacked him from that direction before.

With such a huge advantage he was able to easily block the attacks from his right side normally.

"Women are fickle creatures, but even more so are they cunning. I shan't allow you to scheme much longer I believe." He finally raised his spear in a serious pose. Prana gathered at its tip.

"Oh? I do feel a certain warmth spreading through my cheeks already. This warm up was much appreciated." She fanned her face with her cards casually.

"Face my Noble Phantasm with your body and soul!" The spear wielding knight lowered his body and pointed the tip of his weapon ahead. Prana was gathering inside it steadily.

Caster was outwardly unperturbed, but she was not foolish enough to underestimate such a declaration. With a spin of her hand she created ten layers of barriers. Then she put her cards on the edges to boost them once more.

And then... she took a single step back.

"There is no defense before me…" The one-eyed man's pupil shrank and suddenly he was right in front of her. "Fall!" The spear glowed in a faint yellow, covering the wood like snakes.

The fortified barriers all broke in one stalwart stab.

Caster's eyes widened. Her defenses had all been crushed like they were air. They should have broken the attacks of even a thousand arrows and swords. And now this single spear penetrated her chest.

"This Lindenspeer of mine has no name, but its curse is still real." He whispered and retrieved it from the girl's chest. Only the very tip was covered in red. "And yet an illusion may still fool it." He looked behind him, completely disregarding the collapsing corpse of his enemy.

A few dozen meters away stood Caster with a small scratch on her face which was running with blood. Behind her was an Astral Gate which closed silently.

The corpse in front of the knight dispersed into light particles.

"Have you no qualms to scar a face such as this?" She asked as she wiped the trickling blood from her cheek.

"Beauty is ephemeral. The only things that last forever are ugly." He replied with a sardonic expression.

"Then let us put this to the test, o' wise _Lancer._ " She was showing him a dangerous smile. Her body split apart and multiplied. Ten Casters were now facing the dark knight.

"Deception is a trade I am not at all unfamiliar with." Lancer replied with a weary look. "But such obvious feints will not have an effect on a _Hero_." He slashed through two of the illusionary Casters even as he spoke. His unarmored speed was impressive indeed.

Three of the Casters projected barriers as the other five began their offensive spells.

Lancer stabbed his spear into the road and then jumped up incredibly far. From high above the roofs he had a good view of the enemy formation. His descend was fast and brutal. He crushed the barriers of the defensive Casters in an instant and their spines alongside their dissolving bodies. Their frailty was no different from the original, but until his spear tasted her blood it would not be satisfied.

Energy beams hit him in the back, but were dissolved by the sword which he let face them. In the same motion he threw his spear to impale one of the Casters that kept shooting him. The beam was split in two and exploded just as her skull was crushed.

The remaining Casters combined their force and created a net of energy.

"Light will never beat out steel." Lancer said unimpressed and simply walked through the net. His spear had already cut all its strings.

"Would you mind? I am working here." The Caster next to him complained as he stepped on her hand. She had been planting something in the ground.

He jumped away at the last second as the entire street corner was blown to the high heavens. The illusory Casters were all blown to bits, but they were expendable in nature. Lancer could see through the huge explosion without averting his silver gaze.

"I am aware that light will not penetrate your darkness." Caster whispered into his ear.

He spun around to slice her throat open, but she had already retreated back through the Astral Gate her head had poked out of. She smiled as she waved him goodbye through the closing tear in space.

Lancer, still in the middle of the air, realized that something was on his back.

"Thank you for ridding yourself of that pesky armor~" Caster commented from below where she sat on top of a bench.

The explosion was magnificent.

Lancer crashed down from the smoke cloud inside the airspace above the roofs and then hit the tiles of one said roof. His leathery garments were covered in dirt and soot. He had gone down to one knee and caught his breath.

Despite being in the center of an explosion that could have razed even a castle wall, he was not too injured. The thing that had taken the most damage was certainly his pride for being brought to his knee.

Caster shook her head. This was an impossible match-up. Lancer was simply too resilient for this level of magic. If at all possible she would have preferred to never face such a _scary_ enemy.

On the other hand she had only received a single scratch in their exchange.

"You should not have crawled from your workshop _wench_." Lancer said in a low voice.

"I must have injured your pride more than expected." She jumped off the bench and closed her eyes. She needed a plan. Fast.

The imposing figure of an angered Lancer was not something to be taken lightly. The three knight classes were something else.

As the eye-patch faced her and his eye looked into the distance, away from her, she felt an unspoken relief.

"…" Lancer closed his one eye and sighed deeply. "I have lost my countenance. It is unbecoming." His words of apology were unexpected.

"Chivalry lives on even now, hm?" She curtsied sarcastically.

"Your mockery is befitting of your standing." Lancer did not let himself be riled up again. "We shall finish this another day."

And just as he spoke those words he switched to spirit form and disappeared completely.

"What an utterly unpleasant one." She repeated and leaned back in exhaustion.

If that grim dog had been called back by his owner it would suggest that something had happened between him and her own Master.

Not once had _he_ called out to _her_.

"Foolish." She whispered and disappeared as well, leaving only the demolished street in her wake.

* * *

The figure moved to the next roof, closing the gap with a single jump. Their movements were trained and precise. It wasn't all that hard to jump the distance of these suburban family houses, but to continuously jump from rooftop to rooftop without even slowing down was surely exhausting for a normal person.

Collingwood ran along the streets below and sprinted after the cloaked Master. He could barely keep up even though he just had to run in a straight line with the occasional turn to another street.

The question was why this mysterious Master was running from him. He could only think of two options right now. To get him away from his Servant or to lure him into a trap. Perhaps both were true. It was hard to say whether the enemy Master put a lot of faith in their own ability or if they just didn't trust their Servant to protect them and still win.

"Stop running coward!" He yelled into the night. The figure didn't even hesitate for a second and kept fleeing. So they weren't prone to being provoked.

The area became more complex. They had left the newly built suburbs and now entered the old district full of more traditional Japanese architecture. The layout of this place was much more haphazard and unplanned. One could really see that this was a town that grew uncontrolled and fast.

The figure jumped off a tree and then over a wall. This was the last straw for Collingwood. He wouldn't be able to follow by simple running anymore.

With a deep breath he jumped up the white wall and climbed it in a single motion. He kicked off the edge just in time as he saw the pond behind it. There was no footing, so he simply had to jump it. His arms hit the wet grass as he rolled off the force of his jump and immediately got up to look for his opponent.

The shadowy figure was already farther ahead, scaling the next wall on the other side of the property. Collingwood was out of breath and felt impatience get the better of him. His hand went into the pocket of his brown coat and he pulled out his needles. In the same motion he had already shot one ahead into the wall that the enemy Master was about to scale.

The cloaked figure tried to get a hold of the wall, but it crumbled in their hands as if it was loose earth! They rolled over the ground to break their fall and then looked up, just in time to block a kick from Collingwood's dirty boot.

"You can't run anymore!" He shouted and followed up with a punch. His fist was blocked by crossed arms.

Behind Collingwood a single needle stuck out of a hill of earth. The figure noticed the weak glow of moonlight on the silver needle and then flipped backwards. In the same motion they kicked Collingwood in the unprotected stomach.

He stumbled backwards coughing in pain, but didn't let his guard down. To his surprise the Master did not follow up their attack and instead jumped over the crumbled wall.

"Still… running away?" He shook off the pain and followed behind. With a flick of his finger the two needles seemed to move on their own and flew back into his extended hands.

Behind the wall that had returned to its solid existence was a dark side-alley that was so tight it barely left him any room to move. This was the perfect place for an ambu-

He ducked in the last second as a thin blade aimed for his head and then swished past him. It kept flying through the alley until it disappeared into the darkness. Collingwood looked to his left and saw the cloaked Master waiting for him at the end of the dead end. They were waiting with crossed arms.

He cracked his neck and started to walk towards them fearlessly.

One step, two steps…

 _Fwish!_

He barely dodged another silver streak flying past his neck! Whoever this Master was, they were ungodly fast. Collingwood hadn't even seen them throw the blades.

And more followed, increasing in number each throw.

"Haaaah!" Collingwood yelled out and sprinted ahead. The amount of silver streaks increased so much that it was impossible for him to dodge, so "Link chain… start!"

The cloaked figure seemed to pay extra attention now, but Collingwood didn't care. His hands moved swiftly and a dozen needles were planted into the brick walls around them. They managed to penetrate the solid bricks effortlessly.

His mad rush was now unstoppable, as the thin blades hit his body, but either flung off or broke apart entirely. Each time he was hit one of the walls in the tight alley was suddenly covered in deep cracks.

The figure stopped their barrage of quick throws and instead got into a martial arts stance. They were awaiting Collingwood's angry attack.

He pulled back his left arm and then gave the Master a powerful left hook. Of course that move was predictable, so the cloaked enemy simply dodged it and threw a counter punch to Collingwood's stomach again. Focusing the same weak point twice.

But the impact of the fist was mild at best. The wall behind Collingwood received a small indent.

"Is that all?" He asked still leaned forward from his punching motion. He grinned. In an instant his arm went down unnaturally and his elbow hit the enemy in the shoulder. The weight of his arm was illogical, resembling an entire pile of rocks.

Even more shocking was that the cloaked Master did not reel or even flinch from the painful hit and just spun around and kicked Collingwood's unprotected waist.

"Black Keys, martial arts, superhuman resilience…" Collingwood coughed and dodged the next kick by throwing himself to the ground. "You are _Lewy du_ _Rézny_ aren't you?!"

The hooded man tried to punch Collingwood on the ground, but he rolled away and jumped back to his feet. As he raised his fist that had left literal cracks in the ground he stopped his offensive.

"You aren't the only one who has acquired some useful information." The man said in an emotionless voice.

"So that's why you've been testing the extent of my Mystic Code." This man, Rézny, had done nothing but testing Collingwood's capabilities until now. Was he satisfied already?

"The test isn't over." Rézny said and raised his fist.

Collingwood was about to block the attack when he was assailed by dozens of hits to his back.

"Wha-?!" He gritted his teeth as he felt the rain of impacts break through all the links he had created. The walls around them were filled with hundreds of cracks now.

The metallic sound of Black Keys raining on the ground around Collingwood made it almost sound like someone had dropped a chest full of silverware.

Somehow all the keys he had dodged while running down the alley had turned around and flown straight back for his unsuspecting back. Rézny knew all the Executor's tricks it seemed.

Collingwood had felt the numb pain of the impacts, but nothing had penetrated his skin yet. He was still able to fight back-

The fist was faster than a bullet. It hit him in the same spot that Rézny had already attacked twice. Going for the liver. And this time it was a clean hit. This would have knocked out any normal human being.

The dead end wall next to them _exploded_.

"You deflected the force of my attack at the last second." Rézny commented as he watched Collingwood's extended hand. The needle had created a link with the wall at the very last moment. But…

Collingwood coughed blood. The impact of that fist had been so hard that it had destroyed the wall and broken it to pieces. There was no way he could take the entire force of such a ridiculously powerful attack.

"Monster…" Collingwood wiped the blood from his lips and staggered through the opened wall.

"You overestimate your abilities Isao Collingwood." Rézny didn't seem to care about his enemy's desperate attempt to escape. "Never assume yourself to be invincible." He calmly walked over the rubble of the wall and after Collingwood's stumbling footsteps.

The dirt-brown hair on Collingwood's head hung into his face as he gasped for air and pulled out his knife.

Rézny went back into a martial arts stance as if awaiting his every move.

"I don't… _cough_ … think I am invincible…!" He slashed forward, but Rézny dodged with ease and kicked the knife out of Collingwood's hand. It flew in a long arc and landed straight next to the close-by river. Its cold waters rushed quietly throughout the city.

Rézny followed up with two punches that contained the same power from before. The first hit barely missed his brow, but Collingwood only managed to block the second hit with his right arm which led to a horrible crunching sound and he was flung away as if hit by a motorcycle.

This guy… this guy was strong. _Way too strong_. If this was a human opponent, just how strong would a Servant have to be?

Collingwood felt pulsating pain run through his arm. The bone had cracked, he could feel it. In fact he was lucky it had only received cracks and wasn't completely torn apart.

Rézny kept heading his way. The winds close to a river were always stronger and they flung back the man's hood. This was the first time Collingwood saw his face in person. And what a calm mien this guy who would play his executioner made. Clearly he was used to culling the weak.

With pain seeping through his stomach and right arm he rose from the dirty grass. They were standing on top of a hill close to the river. There was nothing around to help him protect himself.

"I have a code." Rézny said while slowly walking towards his target. "I give my enemy preparation time, to make it fair."

What was he blabbering about? Was he just trying to confuse Collingwood?

"First I gather as much information as I can. Then I will seriously and decisively end the battle on equal terms." He pulled out something from his pocket. Brass knuckles?

"You weren't even punching me seriously…?" He could hardly believe it. All he could do was grin in disbelief.

"As I said, the test wasn't over." Rézny put the brass knuckles on his right fist. They would usually come in pairs, but he only put on the right one. He didn't need more to finish this enemy, was that it?

"And now…?" Collingwood held his burning arm.

"Now I offer you the chance to prepare yourself for your end."

"That's what you consider 'fair'?" He could only laugh at the absurdity.

"All living things die in front of something stronger than themselves. I give you what nobody else does. Time to make your peace with the inevitable end." Rézny's grey eyes looked at Collingwood with a finality that was truly spine-chilling.

"Thanks for the sentiment." Collingwood wiped off the dried blood from his cheek and then pulled out a few needles with his working left arm. "It's a miracle you survived until now with that attitude."

"I could say the same about you." Despite his dark countenance Rézny was a man of his word. He let Collingwood prepare himself.

The moonlight was starting to fade. Darkness was waning as the promise of dawn lit up the clouds. A new day was about to be born.

Collingwood focused. He would not accept that this was his final time seeing the sun rise. He would not die today. He would not die to this guy who gave him a handicap!

"Link… establishing concept…" He let prana flow into his needles.

"Give me your best shot." Rézny pulled his right arm back and set his left foot in front.

"Don't regret it later!" Collingwood threw several needles at Rézny, who dodged them so fast it was as if he left afterimages.

The same moment he kicked off with his right foot and rushed into Collingwood. But the runaway magus didn't wait for him to catch him. Rather, he jumped backwards, making as much distance as possible.

"Too slow!" Rézny kicked off a second time and the earth around his feet exploded! His second jump had closed the entire distance in an instant. His punch was just as swift, but Collingwood's needles stabbed forward, so he had to move his fist around them. The force of his hit was reduced, but it still dislodged Collingwood's shoulder and he felt strangely hot. Perhaps that was due to the fact that his coat was on fire, spreading from the spot he was hit at.

Runes were glowing on the brass knuckles.

' _So that's what it was._ ' Collingwood mulled over in his head as the world moved in slow motion. The pain was so numb to him he barely took note of it.

As he flew backwards he raised his broken arm and slightly moved his shivering fingers. In an instant the needles that had flown past Rézny returned. But unlike Collingwood's blunder with the Black Keys, this man had expected it. He spun around and deflected them with his brass knuckles.

"Never look away from your prey…!" Collingwood grabbed him from behind right under the arms.

"Hmngh!" The former church dog simply rammed his elbow into Collingwood's defenseless guts… but they didn't give in. Instead Rézny felt a numb pain in his arm.

Collingwood grinned. The needle had penetrated Rézny's elbow. And the next moment the entire arm was covered in burns.

The link between the needle in Collingwood's burning shoulder and Rézny's arm was established.

"Tsk." He clicked his tongue and rammed his head against Collingwood's face, but again the resistance was stronger. He glanced into the distance towards the cracking walls of the alley they had left. He seemed to realize that not all the needles that had been flung at him had come back.

"I said… I am not invincible…" Collingwood pulled back with all his strength. His broken arm was pushed beyond its limit as he kept the grip on his enemy. "But neither are you!"

Before Rézny could crush his enemy's grip with more force they both rolled over to the river. In a last desperate attempt to crush Collingwood's body, Rézny rammed his brass knuckles into the enemy's already burning shoulder.

Collingwood almost passed out and loosened his grip. Rézny immediately turned around to kick his ribs to dust, but that was when he had to block another attack. The knife that had been flung all the way over here was in Collingwood's shaking left hand and slashed across Rézny's clothes. It had barely missed his chest.

That one moment of Rézny's evasive maneuver was enough. Collingwood rammed his entire body into his enemy and pushed him into the river, alongside himself.

The cold water embraced and swallowed the duo in seconds. It put out the fire on their bodies, but also dragged them into its dangerous currents.

Rézny, still stronger and quicker, managed to push himself to the surface with ease, but he felt an unnatural weight to his arm and leg. Collingwood was holding on to his leg with an iron grip, but his arm was free, so why…?

"Cough… blargh…" Collingwood had swallowed some water, but he was still facing his enemy with bloodshot eyes. His hand was glowing underwater with strange symbols.

"A link with the very river…?" Rézny could barely believe it. This foolish action was beyond suicidal.

Collingwood sank deeper into the current and dragged Rézny along. The needle in the man's elbow was glowing in the same color as Collingwood's hand. He had layered the _concept of the river's current_ over their bodies. Now they were pulled by the force of the river at twice the usual force. Rézny had to carry his own body with Collingwood's weight and the twice increased current almost tearing his arm off.

But the former Executor's eyes never lost their calm. He had inhaled deeply before sinking under and was now resisting the forces of the deadly river. The only way to escape drowning was to kill the reason he was being dragged down.

Collingwood's eyes widened as he saw him pull the Black Key out beyond the dark water and red glowing blood that flowed from their wounds.

Despite the current, the blade split the water as if unobstructed. The power of sacraments ignored physics.

It was aimed straight at his eye and would pierce his skull.

He raised his glowing hand in front of his face.

The symbols disappeared and the glow of the needles faded away.

Able to move again, he swam to the left with all he had and the blade only grazed his back. His hand let go of the kicking leg.

The next moment he was spilled away and Rézny finally relieved off his weight immediately surfaced.

The dark haired Master watched the river speed along and floated at its surface. Without flinching he pulled out the long needle from his elbow and stared off in the direction of the bridge. At the force of the current the young magus must have been dragged all the way over there already.

If he didn't drown, his wounds would make it incredibly hard to swim to land anyway.

"…" Still Rézny doubted that this opponent would die so easily. There was something desperately abnormal about him.

After swimming to the shore and dragging his wet clothes on the grassy hill he looked one last time in the direction of Collingwood's possible demise.

"Return to me Lancer." He called back his Servant and turned away from the cold waters. The sun rose behind his back, tenderly starting to dry his damaged cloak in its rays.


	9. Knight of Ruin

**Knight of Ruin  
**

* * *

One day before the fateful clash between Isao Collingwood and Lewy du Rézny, the Clocktower Associate had performed his own summoning.

He followed the instructions given to him beforehand to the last word and made sure to put the catalyst into the center of the summoning circle. It was one day before the optimal summoning time according to the Church overseer's words, but he preferred the advantage of knowing his Servant early. Even a single day could make a major difference.

The summoning went off without any trouble. Rézny was faced with the dark silhouette of an armored knight. The Servant seemed almost ethereal for a moment, but then his existence took solid hold in reality. He was barely visible in the dark apartment that Rézny had set up as his base of operations. The black hair flowing across the knight's back might as well have melded with the darkness.

And yet his single silver-grey eye was shining with life.

"I shall be the blade that cuts the enemies before you and grants you ultimate victory, _Lehnsherr_." The Servant went onto one knee and bowed his head in a gesture of subordination.

Rézny did not reply immediately, wearing his emotionless mask as always.

The Servant had just called him his lord. Those words were an oath of loyalty as one would expect from honorable knights. It also implied that this Servant would be his vassal and guide his actions for the sake of gaining his master's trust and obtaining what was rightfully his.

In this case the Holy Grail.

"Stand up." He said curtly and pulled down his hood. A hero should not cower before anyone. That was what he had been taught. And yet, heroes were just humans as well. They had people they followed and revered as any other.

"Very well." The knight rose to his full impressive height and looked down upon his Master in anticipation of his questions.

Rézny noticed the big sword strapped to the man's belt and immediately made the obvious assumption.

"Are you Servant Saber?"

"That is not so." But to Rézny's surprise the tall knight denied his prediction. He seemed somewhat somber when he pushed the sword back with one hand and instead materialized a spear in his right hand. "I am the Servant of the spear, Lancer." He explained.

"I see." That was mysterious indeed. Why did a Lancer flaunt a legendary looking sword on his waist? "What is you true name?" With that info things would become clear.

Lancer replied sternly.

Rézny's mouth twitched for just a moment upon the revelation, but he managed to suppress any other signs of surprise.

Yes, now everything made sense.

Lancer looked to his feet and noticed the small metallic shard in the center of the burnt out summoning circle. He squatted down and picked it up. The glow it gave off upon his touch was almost unnatural.

"It seems that you wished to summon someone in my stead." He mustered the shard with his one eye and spoke derisively. "Destiny has its own mind."

Rézny shook his head slowly and put a hand to his waist. It was true that this shard was supposed to summon another Servant, he could tell as much now that he knew Lancer's identity.

 _Summoning is not an awfully reliable process. There is no guarantee either way._

El-Melloi's words proved to be true in the end. Had he really not known where the catalyst was from? Rézny had his doubts now.

"Are you discontent, Lehnsherr?" Lancer asked calmly. Even knowing he was falsely summoned, he did not appear perturbed by this turn of events. His demeanor was that of a man resigned to his fate.

"No. This was someone else's scheme." Rézny turned around and walked throughout the apartment. He reached a workbench where he sat down and took out some tools. Whenever he had to contemplate issues he tended to do monotonous work.

"I am glad to hear you say so." Lancer did not move and just leaned against the windowsill. His light armor dissipated and left him in darkened brown leather outfit. His black eye-patch peaked out from his hair that was hanging into his face.

"The war will begin today at midnight. We will lay low until then."

"Because we cannot be certain of the other Masters' actions?" He concluded fast.

"Yes." Rézny might not have been the only one to summon his Servant early.

"Are you familiar with the battlefield?" Lancer inquired.

"I have been investigating the city since my arrival. We will patrol the spots that are most likely used by our enemies as well."

"A straightforward challenge." The knight stared into empty air as if in deep thought.

"That is how I do things." Rézny said without room for objection.

"Quite commendable." Lancer replied in a mix of seriousness and exasperation.

"There are rules to this war, but I assume you are already in the know?" He held up one of the brass knuckles in the moonlight, but its form was not to his liking, so he discarded it right away.

"Quite so. The Grail provides all information necessary to us Servants."

"Convenient."

"Yet there are rules that belong only to the living."

"…" Rézny understood the implication. There were things – agreements – that were not inherently part of the Grail War's rules. Something that only belonged in the world of magi.

He sat down his work and nodded.

"We will only act at night. The law forbids us from leaving witnesses. Involvement of outsiders is a grave offense." He explained.

"I understand." Lancer crossed his arms. "Let us hope that our enemies have the same conviction as you, Lehnsherr." His doubts were apparent, but so was his acceptance of the rules given to him.

"It will be dawn in an hour. I will go out in the early morning."

"Shall I accompany you?"

"No. If you were with me any Master would be aware of who I am."

"That is true. Then what am I to do until your return?"

"Scout out the city. Be careful about it."

Lancer looked back at Rézny with a smirk. Those eyes were not trustful or encouraging. All there was inside the cold Master was a demand not to be disappointed.

"As you command."

* * *

The day passed quickly and sundown fell upon Matsumae. Rézny had returned at the precipice of night and was already expected by Lancer. He stood by the single window in the study and gazed into the streets covered in fading sunlight. Just now the lampposts had come to life.

"Have you scouted the city?"

"Indeed. This modern age has magnificent sprawling towns. Even the greatest castle pales in comparison to such splendor." His remark was perhaps his own way of lightening the mood.

Rézny was not the type for small-talk.

He just walked in and changed his outfit to something inconspicuous with a hood covering his face.

"Where did you go today, if I may be so bold to ask?"

"I was instructed to act undercover. During the day I will be gone to act as a normal citizen for the sake of hiding my identity." If he had stayed in his hideout the entire time, locating him would be an easy task for most skilled mages, let alone for some Servants like the Caster class.

"If that is what you deem the best move." Lancer did not object. "My only regret is that you will not let my accompany you."

"That can't be helped. The point of my cover is not to be recognized as a Master." And nothing made it more obvious that one was a Master than a Servant's presence right nearby.

"You are strong indeed." The knight complimented him.

Rézny did not even react. Strength was something natural to him. In a fight he would not lose, in his duties he would not fail. There was nothing to praise if the outcome was natural.

"Have you decided on a location from which we can observe the enemies' movements?"

Lancer nodded confidently.

"There is a settlement… nay, a district of houses for the wealthy. From there we can look upon the highest of buildings at the center of the city."

Rézny raised a brow. Was there any reason to look upon the place that was more suited for getting an overview? It seemed almost asinine.

But then it clicked in his mind.

"Not bad." He nodded approvingly.

"To find your enemy is hard. To let them find you is a much easier task." The knight's words were filled with experience.

They waited on a rooftop and watched the tallest skyscraper of Matsumae in the distance. Anyone could have told that the tower was the best vantage point from which to observe the city. And similarly, watching that watchpoint would reveal the enemy.

Lancer was sitting down with crossed legs and leaned his spear against his shoulder. The sword at his side was pressed against the tiles of the roof. His one eye was continuously watching the top of the skyscraper.

Rézny's eyes were quite sharp, but even he could not see anything from this distance. The blinking lights atop the skyscraper's giant satellite dish were the only thing he could perceive.

Unable to ascertain anything in the distance, he instead focused on his surroundings. If they managed to bait their enemies into this area he would be at quite an advantage. The suburbs had a good density, perfect for swift escapes and forcing someone into a close-quarter battle. He mentally saved the route he would take if their plan went into motion.

"Hm?" Lancer grunted.

"Do you see someone?" Rézny tensed up lightly.

"…" The grim Servant looked on as if unsure of what was going on. After a few seconds he nodded. "They appeared in an instant."

"Camouflage?"

"Unlikely. They would not have discarded it when reaching their vantage point then." He certainly seemed experienced with this sort of thing.

"Then…"

"My guess is some manner of magic transportation."

That was not something an average magus could do, in which case…

"Servant Caster." Rézny concluded.

"It appears so." Lancer rose by pulling himself up on his spear and cracked his neck. "She has already noticed my presence."

"All the better." Rézny inhaled deeply and then jumped down into the streets. Lancer followed him swiftly.

"It was fortunate that they appeared so readily before us."

"Perhaps." The question was whether they did so out of foolishness or overconfidence. "You are at an advantage against a Caster, correct?"

"Slaying a witch is my duty."

So it was a female Caster. Rézny barely made note of it.

"I will take out the Master. The rest is up to you."

"Your confidence is inspiring, Lehnsherr."

"Should I find myself in a bad spot I will just summon you to my side. So get ready for instant transmission." The short-haired Master said while looking upon his mildly glowing Command Seals.

"I will not disappoint your expectations." He said solemnly. In the next instant he turned his head towards one of the alleys. "They have already arrived."

Rézny squinted his eyes to make out something in the barely lit road. To overcome this much distance in mere minutes was ludicrous. That Caster's magic was quite troublesome. He should take out her Master as soon as possible.

The moment they met upon the street, some sort of magic projectile already assailed Lancer, who parried it with ease.

Rézny jumped along a house façade and then on top the roof. He made himself noticeable on purpose. The young Master on the street looked up to him. Rézny jumped to the next roof and purposely kept himself in sight.

While looking over his shoulder he made out the face of his opponent. Those young, slightly gruff, features had changed a bit from the picture he had seen in the dossier, but there was no doubt.

This man was Isao Collingwood, the man Citro had warned him about.

It was time to test if the Enforcer's words were just hot air.

* * *

After the battle ended Rézny walked back to his base in the average apartment complex and prepared himself for his daily activities. The burns on his right arm from the transferred fire damage were weak at best. He could take care of that much even with his limited first aid knowledge.

Sacramental oil from his Church days was good at taking care of such superficial injuries.

After taking a shower and putting on his civilian clothes he opened the blinds to look into the sunny morning streets.

"Are you not going to rest?" Lancer's disembodied voice reached his mind.

"Three days without sleep are not problematic." He replied quietly. His Executor training had been harsh. So harsh that he almost died several times during it. A few sleepless nights were nothing to him.

"Before you go, should we discuss our information?"

"Go ahead." Rézny shaved his face, although there had barely been a hint of a stubble yet. He seemed to put a lot of effort into his appearance.

"That Caster is a shrewd one. She relies on deception and a variety of spells." He explained her abilities to his Master.

"Illusions and wormholes…?" Rézny mumbled. He could not think of many heroes who had such a repertoire.

"She cast spells even with her illusory bodies, but their effects were unremarkable. Her attacks were no danger to my magic resistance"

"They were fighting outside of their territory, so that much is expected." Rézny wasn't going to underestimate the enemy Servant. He rubbed his clean shaven face. "The Master was nothing special either. I could not confirm his death, but he was severely injured."

In fact he was certain that Collingwood was not dead. Something about those desperate death defying eyes wouldn't leave his mind…

"He managed to wound you."

"I was careless. Either way he should not show himself for a while if he is able to realize his mistakes." That was all there was to say about him. Citro had been quite adamant about the threat posed by that Hermit, but ultimately his magecraft was only a dangerous one in concept. That man had not the ability to use it at its full potential.

"I look forward to ending that witch's life with my own hands." Lancer's deadly intentions were echoing inside Rézny's head.

"They aren't a priority for now."

"…"

* * *

The discussion had officially ended with those words and Rézny left for his undercover work.

He walked across the streets and headed for the apartment. The sun had gone down already. He had been held up for quite a while today. It was bothersome work, but for some reason he did not feel aggravated.

The streets had already gotten less populated. Evenings in this area were slow and quiet, unlike in the commercial district.

To his surprise he suddenly felt Lancer's presence nearby. He turned his head slightly to the left and glared in the direction of the spirit.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered.

"My apologies, Lehnsherr. There was something odd about this area." Lancer replied via telepathy. The Master-Servant connection was quite useful at times like these.

"Did you feel a presence?"

"It was faint."

"Where?"

"To the east. Many people were gathered there, but now dispersed." He watched something in the distance.

"The school?" Rézny gazed back in the direction Lancer was looking. There was a high-school close to this district. It was the place where all the students in the area would gather every day. It stood to reason that among their incredible number; at least one Master might be hiding.

"I have been patrolling your route during the day, but there hadn't been any sign until just a few minutes ago." Lancer explained calmly.

Rézny tried to put aside the fact that Lancer had clearly followed him and patrolled his route without asking and instead focused on the matter at hand. If there was really a Master among the students, why would they only call their Servant over now?

School was long since over and the students should have left the premises by now.

"Should we investigate?"

"Right away." He agreed immediately. Such an opportunity wouldn't appear often. The only thing he regretted was that he was not wearing his cloak and hood. But such concerns could wait for after the battle.

They headed for Matsumae Public High-School immediately (the school's name was directly derived from the founder of the city itself). The school grounds had not been sealed off yet, but there still shouldn't have been anybody left.

Rézny cautiously walked alongside the entrance area and gestured Lancer to go ahead.

Lancer materialized and stopped his steps right by the gate. Something had made him hesitate. He drew his spear and then slashed twice across the gate's pillars. With a fizzling sound two pieces of paper burned to ashes. Someone had placed them there almost unnoticeably.

"Strange barriers have been placed on this gate." The knight explained. "They were much too weak to hinder my movements, but the perpetrator seems to have covered the entire building with them."

Rézny felt a pang of anxiousness at those words. He hadn't even noticed those barriers. What kind of magecraft could be so far past his perception? Did they serve to unveil and warn about enemies? Were they marking targets? Or perhaps they weakened whoever entered the school grounds?

"Hrm. Here they come." Lancer suddenly stiffened up and went into a battle stance. His spear was ready to pierce the enemy's body in a flash.

Rézny pressed himself against the wall and waited for the attacker to appear. Just as they had noticed them, they would of course be aware of Lancer's presence. He had not attempted to hide himself after all. If those barriers were their doing, then perhaps they served as alarms anyway.

Suddenly the clouds above seemed to be moving and in an instant something swished past Rézny. He had barely any time to react when sparks were already flying through the air.

Lancer had blocked an incoming attack from the front. It was so heavy that he almost was pushed back a few centimeters. The sparks from their connecting weapons increased as he spun the spear in a circle and ended their struggle.

"You do not have much interest in basic courtesy." Lancer said in a low voice. His opponent had attacked without even a single word, so he was clearly displeased.

"You speak of chivalry when you dare to attack my Master in such a disgraceful manner?" A hardened female voice replied.

Rézny looked past the corner of the gate and witnessed who was standing in their opposition.

It was a fully armor-clad woman. In her hand she held a lance with three tips that were almost reminiscent of a trident, but the blades were so close to each other that they more closely resembled a spear.

The weak light of the lampposts nearby was reflected from her dark blue armor, full of engraved symbols and ornate silver lines. She wore a helmet with two protrusions that remotely resembled wings perhaps. Her face was entirely visible, just as Lancer's under his helmet and her long blonde hair also flowed equally from it down her back.

Her stature was well build and she wasn't much smaller than Lancer himself. Her chest protrusion was barely visible in her plate armor, but her physique was still unmistakably that of a woman. While her voice had a deep note to it, she could not be mistaken for a man.

And finally he noticed her eyes. The deepest blue, like a sapphire at the bottom of the ocean itself. They were inexplicably beautiful… It was as if merely being caught by her gaze could hypnotize someone. This couldn't have been a coincidence.

Rézny held his head and tried to focus. Those eyes were unnatural. It wasn't just their appearance. When she looked upon Lancer the irises started to glow in a bright silver-blue.

"I do not know what you speak of." Lancer replied to her accusation with a hint of uncertainty. He seemed to be uneasy in the enemy Servant's presence somehow.

"Your lies are revealed to me. There is no human that can fool my eyes." She gazed upon him intensely. "Do you mean to say that you are not responsible for the cowardly attack on my Master's life, despite your suspicious timing?" Her words were cold and demanding.

But she did allow him to speak.

"We arrived upon noticing your presence. That is all." Lancer replied stoically.

"…" Her mesmerizing eyes were glaring at the eye-patched Servant for a long few moments… and then they returned to their sapphire color. "You speak the truth. Despite your twisted soul." She said disgruntled. There was certainty in her expression. Just how did she determine so…? After putting her lance on the ground she slightly lowered her head in apology. "I was rash to blame you."

"This is a war. There will always be those that prefer to attack from the shadows." Lancer accepted her apology.

"I am certain you would be quite familiar." She said in a condescending tone. Despite her apology she didn't seem to have any respect for Lancer himself.

Upon those words Lancer squinted his eye and his aura turned colder. Their glares could have shaken a normal person immensely.

"The misunderstanding has been resolved, but this opportunity should not go to waste." The woman said coolly.

"My sentiments exactly." Lancer spun his spear and held it forward in an aggressive stance.

Rézny didn't stop him. They had come here for a fight, so despite the initial confusion, the end result did not change. If she spoke of her Master being attacked so openly, they must have escaped the hit on their life. He wasn't sure if he could sneak past the warrior woman though.

"You are not a Lancer and yet you wield a lance." Lancer said as he circled around her.

"If you are so certain about that fact you must be the real Lancer then. And yet you wear such a powerful sword." She replied while following his movements.

"It seems we both are not who we appear to be."

"Hah!" Suddenly the woman jumped forward and slashed across Lancer's torso.

He reacted by cleanly blocking her attack with his wooden spear and then sweeping at her legs. But her armored legs were standing firmly and didn't budge from his kick. That steadfastness came at a price though, as she became inflexible to dodge the follow-up elbow strike.

Her armor was impressive looking, but thin around the waist. She was pushed back and hit a nearby stone bench, which promptly crumbled on impact.

Just as she looked up she saw the tip of a spear coming straight for her unprotected face. Dodging in time would have been nigh impossible.

But she didn't need to dodge.

From her left arm she materialized a shield which blocked the incoming spear with a loud 'clang' sound. She parried the attack so fluently that Lancer's arm was pushed to the side alongside his weapon and she could follow up with a high kick to his face.

He was sent flying backwards, but managed to catch himself by stabbing his spear into the pavement. The lance maiden had gotten up again and now held her shield in front of her. Then she slammed her lance against the shield repeatedly to taunt him.

That shield did not look normal either. It was engraved with strange runes that even Rézny did not recognize and there was an intricate crystalline pattern on top of it. It was only covering her lower arm, so it was closer to the size of a buckler than a true shield. Because it was attachable to her arm-piece she did not lose the ability to wield the lance with both hands either.

Lancer was not impressed. Her left side was protected, but that was it.

As he moved forward he rained a flurry of stabs all over her body. She deflected each attack with her lance and shield. His pattern was rhythmic, but her defense was not. Every two or three blows she switched between deflecting and blocking. With each consecutive flurry Lancer increased the speed of his attacks. Eventually the blonde woman stopped deflecting and just kept blocking with the occasional attempt at a counter-attack.

But Lancer was relentless and didn't give her any true openings. He created a feint for her to attack his right side (where his eye was missing) and she fell for it right away. She spun her body around and hit her trident like lance against his right arm.

"Not good enough!" Lancer growled and took the attack as it sliced into his thin armor. At the same time his spear went in an arc and cut her left arm right above the shield. She twisted her face as blood sprayed from the wound and she tried to retreat, but he followed up right away with a quick stab into the armpit joint.

No matter how good the armor, there would always be weak points for the sake of flexibility!

As she was unable to raise her shield arm after the injury she sustained she was helpless to prevent the deadly piercing attack. She was already falling back to dodge, so her movements were entirely locked in.

"I think not." She growled and with a sudden twist of her injured arm she managed to just barely scratch Lancer's spear across her shield. It altered the motion just enough for the spear tip to miss her joint and instead hit her shoulder.

The wound was shallow, due to the blue armor, but it still drew blood.

Yet for some reason she did not even seem distraught. Instead she raised her bleeding arm and held onto his weapon!

That fierce determination in spite of the pain and injuries…

She raised her lance while holding down his spear with all her might.

"Not bad." Just as she tried to cut his head off, he let go of his spear and flipped backwards.

"Wha-?" She was clearly caught off guard. What kind of knight would just abandon their weapon after all?

But then she focused up. He still had that sword.

Lancer had made some distance, but he didn't attempt to draw his huge sword. Instead he touched the part of his armor she had damaged and fixed it up.

She warily pulled the spear from her shoulder and threw it aside. The second she let it go, the spear suddenly flew straight back into Lancer's hands. She glared at him.

"Unfounded assumptions are the path to demise." Lancer said with a mocking expression.

"You fight with ferocity, but there is not a speck of valor in your movements."

"Valor is not something to be wasted on women."

"I will not listen to your taunts."

"Then silence me. That is… if you are able." He leaned the cursed spear on his shoulder and waved her to come at him.

She knew she was goaded by him, but her honor did not allow her to back down from the challenge.

Rézny watched this fight with clouded eyes. Their speed and reflexes were so far above his ability that he could barely follow the exchanges. The blue-clad Servant had started swinging her lance wildly, making his Lancer seek distance. But he was slowly pressed against the wall behind him.

Noticing that he was cornered, he jumped up against the wall and kicked off, to accelerate over her head and stab her from behind.

She had of course expected as much and stabbed the three tips of her lance right into his right side. Just as expected, he blocked that attack and landed in a squatting position behind her.

Their weapons clashed about twenty times in the span of one second with sparks illuminating the entire entrance area in the night.

The woman's flurries were all aimed for Lancer's blind spot, which was his entire right side. It was common sense to attack one-eyed enemies on their blind side.

Then again, it was just as well known that experienced warriors with obvious blind spots honed their senses to make up for that weakness. Lancer's fighting style constantly put his right leg back and his blind side faced away from his enemy. To make matters harder on his opponent, he was constantly switching his weapon arm. Sometimes he even switched the hand mid stab!

Wielding a spear one-handed in a clash with a powerful enemy was madness, but for a Servant anything was possible. Rézny understood that much now.

"Put some backbone into it!" Lancer yelled and then kicked her lance to the side with so much force that it was rammed into a tree next to them and the entire giant plant was felled from the impact. Afterwards he stabbed so hard against her shield that she was pushed back and left trails on the ground. He had pushed her back one-handed!

It became clear who the stronger fighter was. She understood that fact already. His physical strength and style was brutal, yet somehow had an underlying self-control to it.

The armored woman on the other hand certainly had skill, but her movements were too straightforward. For someone who demanded a valorous fight she seemed rather held back herself.

"If you wish to impress me, you will have to show me your true ability." Lancer said as he licked the blood from the small laceration he had received from the kick to his face at the beginning of the fight.

"Impressing you is not my obligation." Her voice was tinged in anger. "But if you wish to find your end so soon, I shall oblige!" Her eyes turned silver-blue again and she pulled something from her belt. It looked like some sort of embroidered flute.

"Is that her _Noble Phantasm_?" Rézny tensed up. Lancer had successfully goaded her into using her trump card.

It was a risky strategy. There was no telling what she could do with that flute. Normally Lancer should have done everything to prevent her from using it… but instead he waited.

' _He wants to reveal her true name._ ' Of course Rézny understood his intentions, but that was a risk he should not take.

Just as he thought so, Lancer subtly moved his spear in position.

Prana was flowing into both of their weapons.

' _Is he going to strike her down the moment she uses it?_ ' He wondered what Lancer's plan truly was. He must have put a lot of faith in his Noble Phantasm to assume he would win out. But he could not imagine it to be useful here. He knew Lancer's true name… and unless he used the sword at his side he would stand no chance in beating out a powerful blow.

The woman put the flute to her lips. She was about to blow into it.

Lancer raised his yellow glowing wooden spear. It was ready to be unleashed.

They both released their attacks-

"What's going on here!? Why are you fighting? T-this is insane!" Suddenly a boy's voice crossed the entrance area of the school grounds. His utter confusion and fear were audible.

Rézny clicked his tongue and retreated behind the wall.

The Servants stopped their charging and immediately jumped away from each other.

"We are leaving!" Rézny ordered and sprinted off. He would not go against his instructions to keep outsiders uninvolved.

"Fine…" Lancer dissipated into his spirit form while watching the female Servant retreat.

They left the school grounds as fast as possible. There shouldn't have been any students left around, but there was no guarantee for that.

* * *

"That was quite rash." Rézny scolded the one-eyed knight back at their base.

"You told me to take care of it Lehnsherr. It was not my intention to displease you." He apologized with a lowered head. Not that his face would reveal his true emotions.

"Our main strategy should be for you to distract the enemy Servant so I can take out the Master." He reminded him.

"… your stratagem is surely the correct one." Lancer leaned back and closed his eye.

"Speak your mind."

"I suppose if you wish to hear my humble opinion." He smirked. "Stalling an enemy I can defeat is not the way of the hero."

"Could you truly defeat her?" Rézny's pulse slowed down. His breathing stopped and his eyes focused. All his senses were directed at Lancer. He might not have eyes that let him tell a lie, but his training in profiling would have to do.

"Yes." Lancer's words were filled with conviction as impregnable as the walls of a castle. "It is true that you have faith in my ability to survive. If I could only make you also have faith in my ability to kill your enemies…" He put one hand to his heart in regret.

"Why do you not use your sword?" He crossed his arms and sat down with a sigh.

"…I will give my body, my honor and my life for your cause Lehnsherr. But I will _never_ use this sword." His silver-grey eye was filled with something inexplicable. The hatred of a thousand years… the regret of a hundred losses… the sadness of all the mistakes in the world.

Rézny cupped his chin and stared at him in silence for a while. Then…

"What if I ordered you to use it?" The question was provocative on purpose. Just how far did this man's loyalty reach?

"Then you will have to use a Command Seal, this I swear." He replied stoically.

"Hm. I will remember that." Rézny nodded as if he had just obtained some interesting information and returned to his desk.

"You should rest now Master. This night we will not find a new enemy."

"Of course." He gave up and moved to the bedroom.

He had caught that change of attitude all too well.

"' _Master_ ', eh?"


	10. The Fool

**Back on track with the faster release schedules. For now.  
**

* * *

 **The Fool**

* * *

What does it mean to be alive? What is the difference between _living_ and _surviving_? If each day is passed in everlasting mediocrity, unending monotony, what makes life worth living?

If there was a meaning to life then it would have to be what each individual considered their goals and dreams. Striving to reach what only they could do, something they wanted more than anything else or perhaps just something that satisfied their shortsighted desires. That's what being alive is.

Shigechiyo Sano had forgotten what living truly meant. Each day was just a blur of routine and repetition. As an individual he did not stand out and in a group he had nothing to offer. The worst part was that he had long since given up on changing this about himself.

He slowly opened his eyelids in response to the morning light streaming into his bedroom. With a groan he raised himself up and looked at the clock on his nightstand. It was already past 07:30. Time to get up for school.

Without thinking of anything in particular he went through the motions and prepared himself. Shower, dressing, breakfast, getting the bag, putting on the shoes and leaving through the front door of his flat.

"I'm off to school." He mumbled to nobody in particular as he closed the door. It was not like anybody lived here aside from him.

The school's blazer was covered in a black and green checkered pattern and didn't stand out much in the morning crowd headed for school and work. With his unassuming looks and unkempt dark green hair, Shigechiyo was blending into the sea of workforce robots naturally. He boarded the train and exited it one stop later.

The sky above seemed to be just as murky as his mood, as it was starting to get clouded. The weather report didn't say anything about rain, but rainy season wasn't far off, so it was to be expected.

Shigechiyo vaguely felt a pang of unease as he passed the school gate. He couldn't put his finger on it. It felt almost like he had been stung by static electricity. With a sigh he rubbed his stiff shoulders and walked past the stone benches and cherry trees in the entrance area. They were already past their blooming stage, so they looked rather dreary.

Taking the steps straight to the classroom on the first floor, he soon ran into familiar faces. His classmates from class 2-3 were spread out in the hallway. They didn't notice him for a while, but eventually one of them came running out of the classroom and shouted.

"Sano! Let me look at your math homework!" He seemed really desperate for some reason. Shige vaguely remembered that math class was in the first period. That must have been why.

"…I actually didn't do it either." He replied with a apologetic smile and raised his hand defensively.

"Dammit! I'm so done for! Natsunoe-sensei is going to kill me if I don't have it again…!" The frantic guy was rubbing his shaved head in despair. His name was Ren if Shige remembered right.

If he was in such a bad position, why didn't he do his homework then? That's what was going through his head, but he wouldn't say any of it out loud. It didn't really matter what others were doing as long as they left him alone.

"Ren you freaking moron!" Suddenly two other classmates appeared from behind the shaved boy and hit him against the head in a synchronized motion.

"Ouch!" Ren flipped over and hit the polished hallway floor face first. Shige stepped aside just far enough to get out of the way.

"I told you that you were in deep shit if ya forget it again! If you don't do your homework who am I gonna copy it from?!" The spiky haired guy who had initially yelled out raised his fist with an equally despairing expression as Ren. His foot was on the fallen friend's back.

"Don't let your true intentions leak out so easily…." The lanky guy next to him was putting a hand to his face and acted annoyed, but he was clearly grinning below that facade.

"Sano, are you sure you didn't do it!? Help out your pals over here!"

"Sorry… I got distracted watching TV yesterday and fell asleep." Shige replied while rubbing his head.

"TV? That's really freaking lame." The spiky haired guy (his name was Keiji maybe?) looked at him as if he had just said he enjoyed building bottle ships and collect stamps.

"Now now." The lanky friend (Amane? It was probably Amane) was raising his hands to calm everyone down and then helped Ren up from the ground. He hadn't immediately gotten up after hitting it so flatly and his face sure was red. "My parents made me watch some documentary on shellfish last night too. I still managed to do my homework though." He added the last part with some glee.

"Shellfish?" Keiji looked like he would fall asleep just imagining it.

"They are surprisingly interesting. You can cook them in many ways." Amane shrugged.

"Ohhh, that sounds pretty tasty! Now I wanna eat some seafood for dinner." Keiji stared off into the distance longingly.

"How 'bout you apologize to me first before thinking of stuffing your face asshole?" Ren rubbed his red nose with tears in the corner of his eyes.

"What did you watch Sano-kun?"

"The news…" Shige replied with a strained smile. He would have preferred not to be asked any more questions and just get inside the classroom already. Amane's knowing eyes were making him uneasy.

"Man, seriously? Your parents must be really stiff." Keiji looked at him with pity.

"Ahaha… yeah they are pretty old-fashioned." Shige nodded and then moved to the door to get out of the conversation.

"Why don't you hang out with us after school Sano? You won't have to hang with your boring parents then." Keiji stopped him by the shoulder.

"…" Shige frowned unnoticeably, but then composed himself.

"Keiji… if he doesn't want to, then let him be." Amane once again got between them smoothly.

"No, it's fine. I just have something planned already." Shige turned back towards them and smiled. "Maybe another time?"

"I guess. We're going to hang out in the clubroom after school like always." Ren said amicably. He seemed to have gotten over his hurting face.

"The clubroom?" The question slipped out of Shige's mouth and he regretted it right away.

"Did ya already forget? We even invited you to join us before." Keiji frowned.

"Sorry."

"We are the proud members of the Claws fan society!" Ren gave him a thumbs up and what he probably considered a charming smile.

"Uhm…?" Shige was lost.

"Don't listen to him. We are officially the baseball club, but we don't have a supervisor ever since Tateyama-sensei went for sick leave." Amane explained calmly.

That's right; the _Matsumae Phoenix Claws_ were a baseball team. Shige remembered seeing them on TV a few times. They were the home team of the city and played at the grand stadium a lot, so there was barely any local who didn't know about them. On the other hand he didn't even know that their school had a baseball club. Not that he paid special attention to any of the clubs recruiting.

"Sadly we don't have many members, so we can hardly play any real matches." Amane seemed to be genuinely unhappy about the situation.

"So you are trying to recruit me… again?" Shige raised a brow. They couldn't have been more transparent.

"I heard you were good at baseball! You can't hide those talents from the world dude!" Ren was way too hyper.

"Who told you that?" He looked at Ren with a surprised expression.

"Huh? Who was it again…?" The shaved head was once again rubbed intensely, as Ren tried to remember.

"Doesn't matter, just hang with us!" Keiji put a hand on his shoulder, again.

"Is this prior appointment perhaps about playing baseball as well?" Amane asked slyly. His face really resembled a fox more and more.

"I-" Before he could somehow wind his way out of the pincer attack they were suddenly interrupted by the shout of a teacher.

"What are you still doing in the hallway? Are you up to mischief again Nakamura?" The prim and proper math teacher, Natsunoe-san, was glaring at the group while carrying a stack of papers in her hands.

"S-s-s-shiiiit! The ho-homework!" Ren stuttered in fear. He just now remembered why he had even run around so much.

"Get inside already, you hear? We are writing a surprise test today." She huffed and opened the first door to the 2-3 classroom.

"Isn't that great Ren-kun? Now you don't need to hand in your homework." Amane smiled amusedly.

"Haaaah…." His soul left Ren's mouth all too fast.

"Let me copy your answers Sano." Keiji whispered into his ear while pushing him inside.

"I sit at the window though." Shige replied and pointed at his seat.

"You really ain't good for nothin'!" Keiji let his head sink and gave up.

"It's not like I'm good at math either." For some reason Shige felt compelled to say at least something in return.

As they all prepared for the test that was handed out Shige looked out the window and sighed. Of course he had actually done his homework. It was not like he had anything better to do. And this test didn't scare him either. His grades were all mediocre anyway.

* * *

During homeroom he pulled out his phone and skimmed through the news on the social media sites. He wasn't looking for anything in particular; it was just to kill time. There were some reports an upcoming home match for the Claws and something about urban development getting put into the crossfire. Apparently they had been sued for building houses with inferior material that was easily burnable. It was a disgrace to the whole city.

Shigechiyo hated corrupt people like that. People who just stuffed their pockets and safes with the money they gained from cheating normal citizens on a daily basis. What if someone had gotten hurt because of a fire that broke out? These people would just use their lawyers to get away with anything as long as they paid a fine. These bastards didn't care about the lives they ruined.

The screen of his Smartphone turned dark as he pushed the button on the side and then looked up. He had no idea why he always got upset at the injustice that was around him. In the end it didn't concern him directly; it wasn't like _his_ house was in danger. If he had to bring it to a point… Bad people were just bad. He may hate them as much as he wanted to, but they didn't even know he existed.

"Sano-kun!" Suddenly Natsunoe-san pulled him out of his thoughts. She was their homeroom teacher additionally to teaching math and natural sciences, but she seemed to be looking at him in a different way than the other students. Not that he would admit to that. "Do I now have everyone's attention?"

"I wanna go home…" Ren and Keiji were leaning their faces on their desks with lifeless expressions. The math test in the first two periods had taken its toll.

"Cry me a river." Natsunoe-san was a stern teacher who didn't hold back for anyone, even her students. Her curly chestnut hair was natural, so thinking she had a laidback appearance would have been a fatal mistake. "As I was saying, don't get lazy just because of the holiday next Monday. We will go through the material for the exams for the next few weeks."

A collective groan escaped the class.

"This is your 2nd year of high-school, so you have to think of your future soon. The upperclassmen already have to consider their options and…" She went on for a while.

After the class ended it was finally recess time and most of the students burst out of their confinement. Shige kept sitting on his seat for a while and continued looking out the window. School was the same as always. Nothing had changed since he had enrolled over a year ago. The same cloudy sky, the same rowdy classroom and the same tranquil days.

"Yo, have you heard already?" One of the guys in the back row called out to his friend. "Apparently there is a really cute transfer student in the first year!"

"For real? I didn't hear anything about that."

"My little bro is in her class, I swear!" He seemed excited.

"You say she's cute?"

"I heard she wears a miko outfit. She came like that... to class!"

"Woah… what the hell? That's weird."

"No, that's moe!"

"How'd she get permission? We can't even wear our own shirts and she gets to wear cosplay?"

"Don't complain so much… this is awesome for us."

"Guess we should check her out then. What class was your brother in again?"

"1-1, but we can't just go down to the freshmen classrooms."

"Scared already you pansy?"

"Shut it!"

Shige had inadvertently heard the entire conversation (mainly due to the guys basically yelling). That rumor sounded so stupid that it was hard to make up. He had no idea what a shrine maiden would do at their school… well aside from learning. But the dress code was pretty strict around here. He had been chewed out just for not wearing his tie before.

It made even him curious a little, but he didn't have anything to do with the first years.

He got up from his chair and pulled out the breakfast (and lunch) he had brought along… heated bentos from the convenience store.

* * *

School went by in a flash. If you aren't tuned with the world, the passage of time could feel diluted. In fact most days seemed incredibly similar to Shige so he had trouble telling them apart if he didn't look at the calendar.

He left for the school gate as soon as the bell rang. On his way out he ran into the trio from before once again. Ren and Keiji, which had looked so drained before, were now completely recovered. The bell's sublime sound seemed to have healing properties for most students.

"Sorry 'bout springing this up on ya, but we have to retract our offer from this mornin'." Keiji said jovially.

"Uhm…"

"We are actually goin' to Jinya today and tomorrow. Gotta let off some steam!" He said and pretended to swing a bat.

Jinya was the entertainment district at the east of Matsumae. The sports stadium was close to that area as well. Judging by Keiji's motions they were probably going to a batting center.

"Don't you want to come with us tomorrow?" Ren made a new offer.

"Jinya is pretty far. I don't know if I should go there so late." Shige made up an excuse on the spot.

"Because of your strict parents, yeah? No biggie. We all got some personal shit to deal with." Keiji nodded understandingly and slapped Shigechiyo on the back before spearheading the trio's exit.

That issue had just solved itself. Shige looked a little relieved. Good thing they weren't too bright and liked to make assumptions. Except for Amane, who had winked as he passed him by. That guy creeped Shige out.

"Batting, huh?" He felt his hands open and close involuntarily. The itch to swing was there. Maybe he would swing by the park today…

* * *

After flinging his bag onto the couch and changing his clothes to something more casual he left his empty flat immediately and went to the park. It was really small, nothing compared to the city park over in the central district, but the scenery was still nice. Families came here with their children from time to time, even though there was no playground.

Among those kids were quite a few that came here regularly on their own. That group was here today as well and had already set up a mock baseball formation. For grade-schoolers they were incredibly organized.

"Ahhh! It's Shi-chan!"

"Shige-kun!"

"Shigeeee!"

The children called out to him in a familiar way and waved him over. He hurried his steps on and joined them with a smirk. He rubbed the heads of the two boys that had come running to intercept him. They made quite a commotion before settling down somewhat and handing him a baseball bat.

"Have you been practicing like I told you?" He asked the red-haired leader of the 'team'. The boy was covered in band-aids, showing off his wild nature.

"We passed the ball a hundred times!" He bragged with a beaming smile.

"Everyone did?" Shige raised a brow.

"Erm… I didn't catch that many…" A young girl admitted with her hands in front of her face. She seemed really embarrassed.

"Mei is too slow." The boys laughed.

"Did you catch Shouta's pitches?" He asked the black haired girl and patted her head.

"O-only… two times…" She said with a curious look. She certainly enjoyed the comforting motion of his hand.

"Shouta, your training is far from done." He called out to the red-haired kid.

"Wha-?!" He jerked back in surprise.

"You made fun of Mei, but she actually caught your serious throws. What does that say about your training?"

"B-but I w-wasn't going serious or anythin'-"

"Did I hear you right? You didn't take the training seriously?" Shige turned around with a dark smile.

"N-nah, I was throwing really hard! Mei c-caught my all-out throws!" He turned rigid and hastily replied.

"That's amazing, isn't it? Mei is a year younger than you and you are the captain. Yet she still managed to keep up." He smiled at Mei who looked back at him with sparkling eyes.

"It's not like… that's…" Shouta was in a predicament. He couldn't admit that he held back, but his pride was also in peril.

"Well enough about that. Show me that golden throw of yours." Shige got up and rubbed the bat on his hand a few times before getting into position.

"Y-yeah!" Now Shouta got excited again. The others positioned themselves at the corners of the 'field' and watched their showdown.

After a few grueling hours of training, Shige was covered in dirt and sand, but satisfied. The kids looked even more exhausted than him, but they did this pretty much every day, so they wouldn't collapse on the way home.

It was a good workout.

Shige waved the kids goodbye and sat down on the wooden park bench. He only occasionally visited the park and the kids. If he appeared here every day that would be a bother, not just for him. But these meetings were probably the most fun he had in his monotonous life. It was almost like he couldn't afford to take it lightly… If he came here too often, even this last solace might turn into a routine.

When did he lose his interest in baseball? Probably around the time he had started all those part-time jobs. Now that he was free of that heavy duty, he felt like he couldn't return to the way he was before. Those three painful years had ended abruptly this spring.

Now he was alone.

As he tried to empty his mind of bad thoughts and looked up at the evening sky, he stretched out his hand. If he could grasp anything with these dirty hands, what would it be?

He blinked a few times and then noticed something on his hand. It was a pretty bad bruise. It had already turned blue. It was almost comedic how much he got into those baseball matches with just children as opponents. To think he would injure himself this visibly just from that.

Shige sighed and rubbed his right hand. The bruise didn't actually hurt that much, perhaps because of the adrenaline still in his blood circulation. It didn't really matter.

Looking at the park clock he was aware that he needed to go home and prepare dinner soon. Even if that 'dinner' turned out to be just some snacks he still had lying around. When was the last time he had eaten something other than pre-packaged meals?

The street lights went on with a quiet hum, which was the final push he needed to head home.

This neighborhood was relatively quiet, with only the occasional dog owners making their rounds. Roughly around this time the kids would all be sitting at the dinner table and then prepare for bed.

"Do you think life is worth living?"

Suddenly, without any prior warning, a voice called out from his surroundings. It was a soft and feminine voice, yet with a low-key aloof note to it. The woman who had called out to him sounded like she was just asking for something banal like directions. He spun around, but couldn't catch sight of her. The voice had basically been next to his ear and yet there was nobody standing close to him.

"Who…?" He finally heard some rustling to his left and looked up. She was sitting on a garden wall with crossed legs and a truly relaxed posture.

The moment their eyes met Shigechiyo felt extremely self-conscious and he avoided her gaze instantly. He felt heat creep up his face. _Not right now_ … he could not deal well with girls and women, especially pretty ones.

The woman on the wall was a raven haired lady with blue eyes that seemed to be glowing in the encroaching darkness of the night. Her hair was long enough to reach her back and silky enough to reflect the light from the lamps around them. Her outfit was entirely made of polished black leather, but it seemed to fit better on a man. Her pants were tight and the belt she wore was almost hidden below the folds of her leather jacket.

If he had to describe her, as childish as it may have sounded, she reminded him of a secret service woman from some spy flick.

That unblemished pale skin stood in stark contrast to her all-black outfit, so he had really been able to burn in all the details of her well-shaped face…

He bit his lip and shook his head. Now was not the time to fall prey to his weakness around women. She had asked him a question, right? What was it again?

"Did that question fluster you?" She smiled softly and lowered her inquisitive gaze a little. He only managed to see these details from the corner of his eyes.

"N-no... I wasn't… er…"

"Haha. It was my fault for imposing such a philosophical query on you. In truth I just saw such a curious expression on your face that I felt urged to inquire."

"Uh… ah." He really had no idea what to say to her!

"You seemed to be enjoying yourself before, so life must be fun for you." She leaned her face on one hand and watched him intently.

Shigechiyo felt a sudden heat rise up his chest. It wasn't embarrassment anymore. His throat felt choked up too. It was like something that had been boiling inside him for a while and now wanted to escape his chest.

"Fun?" He forced out.

"You were smiling as much as those children weren't you?"

She had been watching for that long? No, such thoughts didn't even matter right now. He had a bad aftertaste in his mouth.

"Right… sorry, I don't know much about living my life or having fun. Ask someone else please." He put his hands in his pockets and resumed heading home again.

"If the opportunity arises, will you grasp the chance to start living?" She cocked her head as she watched him leave.

"…" He wasn't in the mood to answer such a weird question. Odd ladies were hanging out around this neighborhood after all.

* * *

The next morning he felt incredibly tired. His diet wasn't great, but he worked out regularly, so he wondered how just playing some baseball could have exhausted him that much. It was unfair.

As he went to brush his teeth he looked through his flat more consciously than usual. The strange woman's words just didn't leave his head, so he had slept very badly. That was probably the true reason he felt so sluggish.

Not even making an attempt to get his bed hair in order, he moved to the drier and took out his washed uniform. His eyes widened in shock as he noticed something terrible about the spread out blazer… There was a giant blue stain on it!

"No way… Did I forget something inside the pockets?" He was sweating and hastily checked the contents of the washing machine. Indeed, all the other clothes also had blue spots! Some sort of ink must have gotten into the bunch and now all of this stuff was ruined!

"Damn it." He grinded his teeth. This day was shaping up to be just _wonderful_.

For now he could wear yesterday's uniform that he had casually thrown over the couch, but this stuff was expensive. Even with the rather big monthly allowance from his parents this would make a dent in his expenses.

Completely angry with himself he walked into the bedroom and opened the dresser in a hurry. Only about half its space was filled and even then there weren't too many pairs of pants. It was just terrible. Maybe there were some spares on the top shelf…

He went on his tiptoes and pulled some fabric down from above, but to his shock something very heavy came toppling down. His reflexes were just good enough to let him avoid getting hit on the head, but the loud smashing noise was still painful.

On the floor spread out were a bunch of old accessories and jewelry. They belonged to his mother. The box had been broken at the lid from the heavy impact.

"Mom is going to kill me." He grunted and squatted down. His parents were almost never in town, but his mother left the jewel case with him out of trust. Probably.

The rings and necklaces weren't that expensive looking, but they had sentimental value. He felt bad about the old wooden box, but at least the contents didn't seem to be broken. He hastily pushed them all back inside and pushed it back into the dresser. Checking them would have to wait for after school.

Just as he walked back into the bathroom to put on his uniform he felt a numb pain from stepping on something round.

"Ow… what the?" He raised his foot and noticed an odd necklace on the ground. Somehow he had overlooked it. It was reminiscent of a talisman or amulet more than anything one would wear to be fashionable. Its metallic case was almost shining despite the dust. A certain pure silver color was encompassing it all. But the center, where a jewel or gem might have gone in any normal necklace, this one had nothing but a piece of carved wood. Sure, it was very well polished and carved into a perfect marble form, but this didn't change the fact that it was just a wooden sphere.

Did his mother really like this kind of stuff? Maybe his father was more of a cheapskate than he remembered.

And yet it felt familiar… He must have seen it before. He held his pounding head.

"Grandpa…" He mumbled subconsciously.

He didn't have the leisure to just stand around and recollect! The clock warned him about how late he already was. He missed the train, so he would have to definitely get the next one.

Shige hurried around the flat and got dressed while also putting a dry toast in his mouth and stuffing a new bento in his bag.

* * *

Somehow he had made it to first period just on time. His classmates looked at him weird, probably because of his sweaty face and unusual lateness. This was the worst. He hated standing out.

After a while he cooled down and got back into the assembly line of his school life. During third period (history) he was already able to focus on the lesson again.

"Good morning class. I'm sure you are surprised to see me instead of Takeuchi-sensei." The middle-aged teacher with round glasses said with an awkward smile. Shige didn't know him too well, but wasn't he…?

"Tateyama?!" Keiji spat out his drink that he had been sipping on in secret.

"You shouldn't drink in class Nakamura-kun." The bespectacled teacher shook his head in exasperation as if asking 'Where did I go wrong?'.

"W-weren't you on sick leave, sir?" Ren was just as shocked as Keiji.

"I am feeling a lot better now. Were you concerned for my wellbeing? That is very touching." The class laughed at his joke. "As you may know, your history teacher Sugenomia is in a healthy relationship and as it turns out she has recently ascertained her pregnancy. For that reason she has been excused and is on mother's leave. I will be filling in for her as of today."

"Old Sugenomia is preggars?!"

"I didn't know she was married…"

"Who would put a roast into that oven anyway?"

The unavoidable commotion lasted for a while, but eventually Tateyama-sensei ran out of patience and clapped his hands.

"Yes yes, the miracle of life is very fascinating. You can extensively discuss this topic in biology class or research it at home. For now I will tell you about the new curriculum. After my long leave I reconsidered how the topics I taught for the last decade seemed all very limited due to what the board of directors considered relevant. I think of history as something that can teach us life lessons for the present, so my objective will be to give as many varied examples of humanity's long path as possible. To that end we will be covering not the usual Japanese history subjects, but instead…"

Shige started to zone out again. After the initial surprise of the teacher change, nothing was really keeping him interested. History was boring subject to begin with. He was more interested in the reaction the baseball fan club trio had given Tateyama's appearance.

During lunch break he listened in, this time intentionally.

"He is actually back?!" Ren tapped his fingers nervously.

"You can't be serious… we didn't do shit for club this year." Keiji smashed his fist against the wall.

"Well. It doesn't have to end badly altogether. Tateyama-sensei was never all that interested in the club anyway."

"That doesn't matter; we lost almost all members after the third years left! We hafta explain that to him somehow!"

"Geez, we are screwed… goodbye afterschool hangout." Ren surrendered his soul to the abyss and just slid down his chair.

"Konome-kun is still a member; he just focused on his part-time job for now."

"So what? We need at least five members dude." Keiji retorted in frustration.

"…then we just need to find a fifth member." Amane glanced at Shigechiyo, who pretended not to be paying attention.

This didn't bode well…

The moment classes ended Shige got up and hurried for the door, but he was intercepted magnificently by Keiji's bulky arms.

"A moment of your time please?" Amane and Ren cornered him from behind.

There was no escape.

* * *

A few minutes later Shigechiyo was dragged by the collar to the baseball team's clubroom. Any struggle would have been in vain, so he just flaccidly let himself get pulled along like a sack of potatoes. Inside the storage like room he was put on a chair.

"I don't really have the time to join a club…" He mumbled unconvincingly.

"C'mon we didn't even say nothing yet!" Keiji grimaced.

"Y-you don't need to do anything hard, just act like a member for a bit to convince Tateyama-sensei!" Ren nodded frantically.

"This… doesn't really concern me. Sorry." Finally Shige spoke his mind. After being dragged around like this even he couldn't keep up the polite act.

"Don't you like baseball?"

"That's not the issue…"

"I saw you play in the park a few times." Amane suddenly interrupted them. "You seemed to be _very_ interested back then."

"Urgh." They were way too persistent. And Amane must have been living in his area to have walked by that park too. This could become a huge hassle.

"Look you are all bruised up from training, right?" Ren suddenly pointed at his right hand.

Shige just now remembered that. There was no pain whatsoever, so it completely slipped his mind. Instinctively he rubbed the blue mark on his hand. It didn't feel any different from normal.

"Yes… that bruise…" Amane looked at it with a fox like expression.

"I am sorry about your club situation, but there is no way I can pretend to be a member. Even if it's Tateyama-san, he will definitely figure me out." Shige scratched his head and adjusted his legs.

"…."

"…."

The trio stayed silent. He could understand their feelings to a degree, nobody wanted to lose their place in the world. But it was their fault for not taking it seriously in the first place. So he had to be firm with them.

"If you really want to keep this club going you should search for real new members." With that he stood up and put his bag over his shoulder. He passed between the chairs and put a hand on the door.

 _Clack._

It didn't budge.

"Hm? Did you seriously lock it just to have a talk?" Now he felt actually annoyed. This wasn't the right way to ask someone for a favor.

He turned back to scold them, but they still hadn't moved from their seats. But more importantly, their eyes creepily followed the movement… of his right hand only. Confused he stretched it to the side and then pulled it back and surely, their eyes followed.

"It's not that bad. I don't even feel any pain." He tried to reassure them in case they were worried or something. "Can you please unlock the door now?"

They didn't react. They kept staring at his hand like mindless zombies or something. That comparison became even more apt when they suddenly stood up in an indescribably unnatural manner. It wasn't normal… Shige couldn't even explain why it seemed so off. It was like their muscles moved independently, machine-like.

"Guys?" He gulped. Their empty expressions were freaking him out.

"Ouuhhh…" They groaned and stretched their hands after Shigechiyo.

"What the hell?" He backed away and barely escaped Keiji's grapple. "This isn't funny!"

Amane suddenly dashed his way and grabbed his right arm. Unexpected for the slim and frail looking Amane he pressed down on Shige's arm with as much force as a mechanical press. It hurt a lot.

Following up on that was Ren with a terrifying expression. He grabbed Shige below the arms twisted them back to hold him down. The strength he used was almost impossible.

This whole situation was abnormal. Shigechiyo had no idea what was going on, but he felt a fear like never before… this was the cold march of the reaper. The specter's icy hands were laid around his throat. And they slowly pressed the life out of him….

Keiji was strangling him.

"W-hy… krgll… you do….?" He felt like he was blacking out. The pain from his arms as they were bending backwards was fading away alongside his consciousness.

…..

" _I am sorry Shigechiyo… thank you for watching over this old man… You are free now. Live your life for your own sake… please."_

…

His pupils shrank and he forcefully inhaled as much air as possible.

With strong kick against Keiji's waist he loosened the deadly grip on his throat and then he used the momentum to push forward. With some effort he rammed Ren into Amane and then freed himself from the iron grip.

The trio rose in the same creepy manner as before.

"Gakh… you bastards… I'm not going to die… here." He rubbed his hurting throat and then dashed past the equipment in the back and tried to open the window. It was locked as well. "Haaaah!" He grabbed one of the baseball bats and slammed it into the glass window, which shattered loudly.

The trio was already right behind him, so he had no other choice but to jump right away. The club room was on the ground floor, so the fall was very short. He rolled off and jumped to his feet. The zombie like club members jumped after him. Whatever was driving them now, they couldn't do anything in front of the teachers!

His only hope was to get help as soon as possible, so he sprinted towards the main building. To his surprise his pursuers were far from slow, despite their zombie act. In fact they seemed to sprint faster than any track team member he had ever seen!

Keiji tackled him down like a battering ram would smash a castle gate. They rolled over the sandy yard and bruised their joints from the rolling and sliding. Shige's uniform looked quite bad already, but he couldn't care less right now.

His hands were bleeding, but he felt alive. The pain reminded him of that.

Amane and Ren caught up and he ducked under and incoming tackle and punch. He still held the bat in his right hand… This was self-defense!

With a loud crash he hit Ren into the back at full force. That was probably painful enough to knock out even a trained boxer. The bat even splintered a bit.

But the moaning crew cut boy just turned his head unnaturally and attacked again. His back was covered in blood from the wooden splinters, but he didn't even flinch. Amane kicked him from the side as Shige tried to get to grips with this berserker like assault.

The kick was painful, but what was even worse was the fact that he let go of the bat. Keiji picked it up.

"Fuck…" Shige held his hurting left arm and backed away. He felt the wall of the tool shed press against his back. If he could get in there he might have been able to find another weapon-

 **BAM!**

The hit to his ribs was so painful he blacked out for a moment. The bat had really almost broken his bones. The wood splintered even worse and he could feel his skin being penetrated. Right after a punch from Ren struck him down to his knees. His left face half felt like it had just been pushed into boiling water.

"Ahhhh…! Ungh… guuuhhh…" He felt hot tears run down his face. The continuous beating hurt so much he just wanted to pass out. They were going to kill him! They really wanted him fucking dead!

With a loud bang he was smashed through the shed door. His body was covered in bruises and his arm felt like it was sprained. He probably suffered several concussions already.

Through the window high up he saw the last rays of the sun fade.

The trio had entered. They had no murderous intent whatsoever. They seemed… hollow. Mindless.

If they were drugged by someone, he would actually feel bad for them. Once they came to they would have his blood on their hands… how do you live with such a heavy conscience?

The broken bat in Keiji's hands was falling apart, so he threw it aside.

"Why… are you… doing…. this?" He asked them one more time. His mouth was filled with the iron taste of blood, but he still forced himself. In his final moments he wanted to know the truth.

"Heeeheeheee." Suddenly a ghastly chuckle escaped Amane's creepy mouth. "YoU reAlllLy wAnT toooo KnOW?" His words seemed fake. Forcefully moving the boy's mouth.

"…." He felt too faint to reply. The blood from his injuries had stained his shirt and blazer and in fact was already running along the cracks of the shed's floor.

"YOU were UNlucky." Amane said simply.

' _Are you serious?'_ He thought in delirium.

"Thhhhat mArK. CuuRRSE it." Amane and Ren moved next to him and pulled up his hand. He could feel his pinky and middle finger being broken from the pressure.

The mark? The bruise? His head was spinning from blood loss and the concussions. This was why they wanted him dead?

That was bullshit.

That was not fair.

He didn't know what this shitty mark was about, but he didn't choose to have it!

He was pulled up violently and held into the air. Something slipped from his blazer pocket and fell into the blood puddle below. Something that reflected the light. Shige looked down with his swollen eyes.

It was the pendant.

As he felt the pressure of thick hands around his throat once again, he felt his life pass in front of his eyes. And that's where the answer lied.

He remembered where he had seen the pendant before. It was a family heirloom. His grandfather had given it to his mother, but she left it with Shigechiyo instead, saying it was something that would remind him of her father when he was gone.

Why did he take it with him? He must have subconsciously put it into his pocket.

What did it matter? He was seriously thinking of something irrelevant like that in this situation? It must have been his dying mind's fault. Why did he remember that sadness now? His grandpa's final words had given him the will to live, even if for just a moment. But even that was over now…

As he was strangled to death he fell back to the ground and into the blood circling around him. The pendant was close to his shivering hand, so he grabbed it. It was… comforting.

 _Do you want to live?_

What? Between all the pain and blurry emotions he felt a voice inside his head.

 _If you want to live, call for me!_

Call whom? He had long since forgotten how to speak anyway.

 _Is that the life you had envisioned? Is that what your line amounts to?_

That wasn't… true. He was weak…. but his parents…. His grandpa… they were strong.

 _Call for me. Call for the spark of life and your wish shall be granted!_

Could he really do it…?

Could he make one last wish?

"I….want…. to live….!" He cried out between coughing as his throat was at the limit of being crushed.

The very moment those words left his mouth the bloody circle around him started to glow brightly and the pendant in his hand turned warm. The wooden core started glowing in a strange purple light.

And in a moment she was there.

The blonde woman in a beautifully crafted blue armor. Her serene eyes filled with the determination to judge anyone. In her right hand she held a long weapon.

"You did well to call upon me, Master." She said with a reverent expression.

The next thing he knew he was freed from the handgrip and the three guys were being smashed against the walls. The impact was enough to make him cringe. But somehow they managed to rise with bend limbs as if they couldn't feel pain.

The awe-inspiring warrior woman raised her spear or lance or whatever it was and…

"Don't... _cough_ … kill them!" He called out while holding his burning throat with both hands.

Her eyes were glowing silver-blue. It was magical.

"As you wish Master." She spun her lance in her hand and slammed the backside against Keiji, knocking him straight out. Then she kicked the struggling Amane so hard he flew out the window. Ren was trying to go for her throat, but she simply punched him so hard he fell over like a tower of cards.

They didn't move, but he could faintly see their breathing.

"Cursed power has taken hold of these children. They were acting upon another's will." She looked upon her short work and then turned towards Shigechiyo. She knelt down in front of him and stretched out her hand. "I am Servant Rider. My duty is to bring victory to your as your lance and shield."

Shige did not know if he was hallucinating… but he grabbed that hand with all his might.

In an instant his body was covered in the weird purple glow from the pendant and he felt… calm. His bleeding stopped and his hurting body felt light.

"So this is your birthright. I am glad to have met a worthy man." Her silver-blue eyes had been staring into his soul, but now they turned into a dark sapphire blue and seemed more human.

"I…" He was utterly confused.

"!" Suddenly the blonde woman that called herself 'Rider' rose up and looked into the direction of the school gate. "None are traversing this place. And yet there is a twisted soul at the gates."

"W-what do you mean nobody is here…?" This was a school. Even if it was really late, there should have been at least a handful of people still around.

"I believe the vile man responsible for this attack on you has just showed himself. I will strike him down in your name!" She suddenly moved forward and jumped a ridiculous distance with superhuman speed.

"Waaaait!" What was going on?! Who was she? And why did she want to kill someone in his name!?

Shige stretched out his hand in disbelief and staggered out of the shed. His body felt heavy again the moment the foreign woman had left.

He was alive, against all probability. But what would this saved life be truly worth?


	11. Maiden of Victory

**Maiden of Victory**

* * *

Shigechiyo Sano was an ordinary boy in every sense of the word. While he had dreams of grandeur like almost anyone, he usually looked at his situation objectively. The way he had distanced himself from his peers was his most outstanding feature, but he ironically still never stood out.

Now that his uniform was stained in his own blood and his previously broken ribs seemed to be doing astonishingly well all things considered, he felt different. This feeling of barely escaping certain death was not exactly what he had wished for when he imagined himself to be a character in a game or a movie.

Aside from his rundown looks he was still an ordinary student. Unlike the blonde armor clad woman he had met just seconds ago. He could barely follow what was going on the second she appeared. She had called herself 'Rider' and ran off as soon as she had saved him. This turn of events was too bizarre.

As Shige stumbled along the track field to follow her to the gate (which as the only other thing she had mentioned before disappearing) he wondered what he was even going to do if he caught up. He had checked the trio that had viciously beaten him minutes before and felt actual relief at the fact they were still breathing and in one piece. Despite his cold attitude from before, he could not simply watch someone die.

And that was exactly why he was still moving forward. Rider said she would kill someone in his name…

His hand slid across the brick wall that surrounded the school grounds and he spied something weird in the direction of the gates. A shadow clad figure was pressed against it and observing something. From the loud crashing noises and the dust flying everywhere Shige surmised it must have been Rider. Her superhuman strength and speed were the most likely reason.

When he was in earshot of the mysterious fighters he finally caught a glimpse of them. There she was, holding that oversized lance and now even a shield for some reason. Standing opposite to her was a strange man wearing black armor. Another weirdo!

The dark man's spear was glowing weirdly and Rider had drawn out something thin and long from her belt. She was putting it to her lips…

"A flute?!" He couldn't believe it. She was going to play music while this freak was aiming a weapon at her? He couldn't stand to watch another second, so he called out to them with all his lung capacity. "What's going on here!? Why are you fighting? T-this is insane!"

He became the center of attention in an instant and only now realized what he had done. If they were displeased with his intervention they might have killed _him_ instead!

But to his surprise the armored man and the shadowy figure were immediately retreating out of the school grounds. He felt an unbelievable relief inside his chest and almost fell to his knees. The only thing preventing him from doing so was a miniscule shred of pride. Rider was holstering her flute and watched after her opponents with a grim expression.

Did he make a mistake? He was just glad that nobody died.

Rider was refraining from basically phasing out of existence due to speed this time and just gracefully walked over to him. Shige had no idea where to look and decided that his shoes were a good place to fix his gaze on for now. She was awfully pretty… Those thoughts were going to get him into trouble soon.

"The cowards have retreated out of my range. I suppose they will not dare return for tonight." She explained curtly.

"Who… were they?" Shige had too many questions for this foreign woman, so he just randomly shot out what came to mind.

"Our enemies." Rider replied and put her hands on her waist, elbows stretched to the side. "You do not seem to be aware of your situation right now, Master."

"Uhm… y-yeah." He nodded frantically. Whatever her facial expression was while saying those words, he wouldn't dare look up.

"My apologies Master. I am aware that you called me to your side for the sake of living rather than triumph. If you desire I shall explain it all to you."

"Are they really n-not coming back?" He gulped.

"Despite that Lancer's twisted soul, his Master seemed to be bound by the rules of this war. He mistook you for an outsider and avoided confrontation. I am not certain whether to call that steadfast or cowardice." However, she seemed to be certain of her dislike of those men.

"What did you call him and…. Why did you say the same thing to me?"

"Master?"

"Yes that!"

"It is the title granted to those who command a Servant in the Holy Grail War. You were declared worthy by the Grail, as proven by the seals upon your right hand." She pulled his shivering finger towards her and revealed the blue bruise that had been the reason for all his trouble.

Now that he looked at it again it was much more distinct. Almost like a tattoo. It hadn't looked this way just this afternoon. The shape of that tattoo was unfamiliar. Two oval half circles with a cursive 'v' in the middle of their upper half. With some broad imagination it might have resembled a coconut or something?

His head was hurting. Rider had just thrown half a dozen weird terms at him and it seemed they were just scratching the surface of this weirdness. His desire to run home and forget all about this horrible day was growing.

"I don't get it… sorry." He rubbed his neck dejectedly.

"There is no fault in your ignorance. You are no magus or warrior." Surprisingly the blonde beauty did not insult or demean him. Instead she grabbed his outstretched hand tightly and nodded solemnly. "Be assured that I will protect you with my life, no matter your decision. Our fate is now tied to the end of our ambitions."

Shige felt heat rise to his face as her hand touched his so strongly. Her skin that should have been rough from handling a weapon was surprisingly soft… He bit his lip and looked up. Her blue eyes were looking at him as an equal and yet here he was making a fool of himself just because he couldn't deal with women!

"S-shouldn't we call the police? Or at least an ambulance for Keiji and the others?" He felt responsible for this somehow and it was getting more out of hand by the second.

"They will not be able to aid you in this. The evidence of our battle and the injured will be taken care of by as neutral party." She didn't show much concern for anything around them, but it didn't seem to be out of callousness, but rather some unknown information.

"I want to understand… but can we please leave the school?" He asked with as much courage as he could gather.

"Of course." She agreed almost immediately.

"O-oh."

"Where would you like to move?"

"Is my home alright?" He asked with uncertainty. Not just because he didn't know how she would feel about it, but also because he was scared that his flat might get attacked next.

"I will ascertain that we aren't followed to your domicile." Rider was brimming with a cool confidence that made him actually feel less tense.

"Then I'll… uh… lead you there." Her way of talking was making him feel like a fool for panicking.

* * *

After arriving at his doorstep he truly realized the extent of his predicament. This was the first time he had brought a woman home! Not only that, he had not even gotten any preparation time. His heart was pounding as he unlocked the white door and moved into the hallway. His shoes basically flew off before he sprinted into the living room and hastily gathered up the clothes that had been spread around carelessly.

The clanking of Rider's armored boots sounded like the drums of war to his ears. Before she entered he hastily threw all of the messy stuff into the bathroom and closed it just in time.

Feeling itchy and unprotected he moved behind the couch and averted his gaze. Those judging eyes of hers were probably filled with disgust…

"A humble abode is sign of an honest life." She commented and then stopped in the middle of the room as if awaiting his orders.

Master, Servant, Grail War.

All these things were floating through his mind and now that he saw this RPG character straight inside his own home he finally felt the surreal reality setting in. He shook his head.

"Uhm… Rider-san? You can sit down wherever you want- I _-if_ you want!" He hastily added with waving arms. He couldn't even imagine telling her what to do.

"Hm." She acknowledged his words quietly and knelt down on the ground upright and waiting.

Wasn't it weird to choose the hard floor instead of the available couch and chair? If he started questioning every little thing they would be here all night.

Night?

He facepalmed and took a deep breath. Would she really stay the night? Where would she even sleep? His bed was only made for one person and he hadn't changed the sheets in a week and-

"Master?" She squinted her deep blue eyes expectantly.

"Oh r-right, the questions." He hurried to sit down on the floor as well and pulled over the low table and a pillow from behind the couch. He put one down next to Rider as well in case she wanted to sit more comfortably after all. She did not apparently.

"First I wish to tell you about the trial ahead of you, but if you have any pressing concerns, please speak your mind Master." She was certainly polite.

"T-then… is it necessary to call me that? It feels really odd." He was obviously referring to the title. It sounded like something straight out of a Light Novel.

"What is it you like to be called?"

"Just Shige is fine. It's what my friends call-" He stopped midsentence and looked down. What friends was he talking about? The only ones that called him by that nickname were his mother and some of the children from the neighborhood that he had played baseball with. "It's easier to say, right?" For a foreigner Rider-san seemed incredibly fluent in Japanese.

"There is no issue with pronunciation, but I shall honor your wish Shige." She folded her arms and nodded. "It has a noble ring to it."

"Wha-?" That was the first time someone had ever complimented his name. His eyes were wide. While he was still dazed, Rider continued calmly.

"My true name is not Rider, but I fear you might not understand it just yet, so go ahead and ask what you need."

"Just… who are you? And those weirdoes? How did they control Keiji and the others?!" He burst out and leaned forward on his knees. There was too much going on.

"I am your Servant. Your shield and lance that will guide you to victory, if you choose to accept your role."

"What is a Servant anyway? Like a maid or something?" Even he felt stupid for saying that. But he was too nervous to care.

"I am no maidservant. I am a proud warrior that guides worthy men!" She raised her fist proudly. "We Servants are Heroic Spirits, heroes reborn to fight once more for those that called upon us."

"S-spirits? Wait… you are a _ghost_?!" His pupils shrank. This would explain her supernatural abilities at least.

"Not quite. I am neither a ghost nor a specter. In simple terms, you could call me a divine spirit, a copy of the heroes of old, summoned by the chalice of wishes."

Nope. He didn't get it at all.

"You said before that I'm not a magus…? Like mages and sorcerers? What has that to do with anything?" He rubbed his hurting temples.

"Indeed. I could tell from our contract that you have no magic circuits or magic potential. It is an unheard of fate that connects us." She seemed contemplative all of a sudden.

' _Figures._ ' He couldn't deny his regret though. Being told that he was some sort of secret wizard would have been too improbable.

"Perhaps you would prefer to call me a familiar to those who seek the Grail."

"What is this Grail? Why do you want it? Why do you even need me…?" For now he would just try not to think about the mechanics of the spiritual world too much.

"The Holy Grail is a machination of man that was built in the attempt to create a miracle. Thus we are summoned to obtain this chalice after honorable combat with six opponents. The victor shall touch upon the miracle machine and get their wish granted." She explained everything with the same stern expression. "A Servant like myself cannot stay in this world without a contract. That is why I am bound to you until our fate has been decided by the gods."

"You need me- I mean a Master to get a wish granted?"

"That is the rule."

"And this Grail thing can grant _any_ wish?" He felt a strange excitement rise in the pit of his stomach.

"So goes the legend. I wish to find out, even if it shall cost me my life." For the first time her eyes turned softer. "If you lend me your strength we shall find the truth together."

"I don't…" He scratched his cheek and stopped short, overwhelmed.

"I have no intentions of deceiving you. This is a fight that may end in our defeat. Death is not out of the question." Her words pierced his excitement and heart in one swift strike. "I will not force you to accept these unjust terms. It is entirely upon your shoulders how you wish to proceed."

"I can still get out of this?"

"Every Master chosen has the right to rescind their privilege. Only will your proof of being a Master not disappear until death or the end of the war."

He looked at the cursed marks on his hand again and swallowed deeply. If that was the case he would not be able to just withdraw quietly.

"There is a neutral ground for all Masters. If you wish to end your participation you will receive shelter for the duration of the war." Her expression stayed neutral, but he could feel an unknown pressure from her aura. As understanding as she acted she was clearly judging his actions all the same.

"You mean I need to hide somewhere until everything is over…?"

"It is cowardly, but an unfair purpose has been forced upon you, so I shall forgive it." She didn't hide her disappointment anymore.

"…" Why was he feeling like retorting back all of a sudden? For some reason he could not bear Rider-san's judgment…

"The Overseer of the war is guiding and sheltering uncertain Masters. If you decide to end our contract here and now I will show you to them." She rose to her feet and towered over Shige with her intimidating aura.

She was angry, wasn't she? And yet she still would honor her promise. Even Shigechiyo could tell. Although he had not given her a definitive answer, his hesitation and fear had made themselves quite visible on his face.

Would he run away again?

He owed his life to this lady.

But if he tried to help her he might forfeit that saved life stupidly.

"What is your choice Shige?"

Shige.

Again, she called him by that nickname without condescending intentions. She had completely accepted his wishes without question…

How pathetic could he get?

His fists were balled so tightly that he could feel his nails dig into his skin. He even drew blood.

"I…" The blood on his hands was dripping onto his pant legs which were already plenty stained. "I want to repay you for saving me!" He shouted all of a sudden.

"…" Rider-san looked at him with a tilted head. His words had a completely different effect on her from what he had intended. "Do you not have a wish of your own?"

"!" He blinked a few times. Right, the Grail was supposed to grant wishes! That was the point of all this. So what really made her so mad was that he did not even try to fulfill his desires?

Deep inside, he was empty. There was a hole that could not be filled by normal means.

Perhaps this Holy Grail could…

"That is a fine expression Master." For the first time she smiled ever so slightly. It was… mesmerizing to Shige. "So you have a wish that you would fight for. I was not wrong in calling you worthy." She put one hand to her chest plate.

"I don't really know." He shook his head honestly. "But what I said is true. I really want to help you our Rider-san! I don't know how, but if you really need me-" Yes, someone that needed him. That was more than enough.

"Until you find that answer I will watch over you." She declared solemnly again.

"Ahaha…" He felt some weird sense of accomplishment now. He really did something crazy just now, didn't he? But this… this was interesting. Exciting even! "Uhm, let's discuss the rest over tea then. I will prepare some!" He rose and ran into the kitchen. If she saw his face right now he would die of embarrassment.

* * *

The explanations were long and unrelenting. Rider-san tried her best to make it digestible, but Shigechiyo didn't feel like any of this could be real. He was sipping on his tea while occasionally throwing a question out.

Rider-san had not sipped on her tea once during the explanations. She was leaning her arms on the table and elaborated on the rules of this Holy Grail War. What she told him was unnerving to say the least. Apparently fights to the death between these Servants were unavoidable. Masters did not have to die necessarily, but eliminating rivals to the wish granting miracle machine was the smartest move.

And worst of all, these Servants were all super powerful beings straight out of a battle manga. They could destroy the city with ease and no military would be able to stop their actions. It all depended on the Master's orders.

"So some might just attack indiscriminately?" His throat felt hot despite the cooled down tea.

"That is against the rules established by the Overseer and the hosts, but the Grail itself does not have any regard for our actions." She nodded.

Shige felt disgusted. They would really stoop to such mindless violence for the sake of a wish? Even if it was omnipotent he could not see it as worth that.

His eyes wandered to the cold tea in front of Rider-san again. She noticed and raised a brow, but then finally took the cup and brought it to her lips.

"Hmph. What unimpressive brew is this? It had no punch whatsoever."

"It's just tea after all…." He laughed hollowly.

"The tea of my homeland would warm even a man frozen in the blizzards of the end times." She said disparagingly and gulped the entire cup down in one motion. "There is no ale in it." She said accusingly.

"Uhm… do you usually put alcohol in tea?" Whatever her home country was like, he still thought that couldn't be considered normal!

"A good spirit raises morale and prowess in battle." Rider-san said with a serious expression. She pushed the cup aside and supported her face on her other hand. The heavy armor did not seem to impair her movements at all somehow.

"It's pretty late already… d-don't you feel tired?" He himself felt wide awake from all the tension and swirling thoughts going through his brain, but he felt it would be rude not to offer her a place to sleep.

"Servants do not tire." She explained as she cracked her neck.

"Seriously?" That was probably another spirit thing.

"We are not alive in the closer sense. But even the dead wish to feast and make merry after a glorious battle." She was throwing around wisdom very lightly.

"I'll remember that." If he survived the next few days he would make sure to treat Rider-san to whatever she liked. Would taking a mature lady out to lunch or dinner make him look like a popular guy? His thoughts were already drifting in the completely wrong direction again. "Wait, so you don't need to sleep or eat?! Are you really a ghost after all?"

"Servants can switch to a spiritual form." She said and raised her hand in front of her face, as if to look through it. But nothing happened. "Due to the nature of our contract there is something wrong with that ability of mine." She looked distant now.

"You can't become er… a spirit?"

"Haha." She suddenly chuckled. "Do not worry for me. I do not require care or looking after. Simply treat me as your lance and shield."

"I can't do that if you are right in front of me!" He burst out.

"?"

"I mean… You are a person, not a lance or whatever." He felt incredibly embarrassed saying something like that, but it was true. "P-please let me treat you as a guest at my home."

"You are a strange man Shige." She replied with a hint of intrigue.

"S-sorry for being weird." He scowled.

"There is honor in hospitality. I will not deny you such. Yet I must insist that you do not treat me like a mere woman." She remarked rather snidely.

"What?"

"I sense your desire to support me like a tender maiden. My eyes cannot be fooled." Just for one instance her blue eyes became silver again. A shiver went down Shigechiyo's spine.

"I d-didn't want to offend y-" He bit his tongue as he stuttered.

"You are a worthy man, but do not think yourself above the truth. I will always tell a lie from reality." She was cold as ice, but strangely not hostile. She was lecturing him like a child.

"But I didn't want to…" What _did_ he want to say? Maybe he was tired after all. Why Rider-san was denying her womanhood, he did not know, but it was inappropriate to question her further. More importantly it seemed that her remark about her eyes was not just a metaphor. They really were special.

Everything about her was special.

"Why did you come to help me back then?" He asked with his bangs covering his eyes.

"Because you called for me."

"I don't understand that at all! You said I am not a mage… I am not special. How can I summon a Heroic Spirit like this?!"

"I do not know the details." She appeared slightly less collected than before. "But I feel an immense rush of prana from you. That power is not your own and yet…" She glanced over his body questioningly.

Nothing made sense. If she needed power to sustain herself and he couldn't provide it, how was she still here? He had nothing special-

There was a tiny bulge in his left blazer pocket. The warmth spreading from there had gone unnoticed until now, but it was actually quite intense. His sweaty palms went into the pocket and touched the hot object and then pulled it out.

"Grandpa's pendant?" He looked at the pendant with a wooden marble in its center in confusion. A memory flashed by his inner eye. This pendant had been glowing purple when he was about to die and had fallen into the bloody circle next to him… and the Rider-san appeared.

"This heirloom is not from this world." Rider-san said with a strange glow in her eyes. "To think a mere human would get a hold of such a thing." She stretched out her hand and touched the pendant softly. It emanated a strange heat and glowed faintly.

"What are you talking abou-?" He was about to inquire when he suddenly felt an intense pain in his chest and all his limbs turned heavy as lead. His ears rang as if he had heard a deafening noise and then he slumped over on the table.

Rider looked at him with surprise and immediately pushed the pendant back into his hands. The same moment his skin touched it he felt all the oppressive force leave him. He touched his chest in shock.

"I see." Rider-san looked at him with worry. "The pendant is tied to your bloodline and awakens its power due to our contract. It appears to provide me with intense quantities of prana all on its own. And it also blocked your wounds to increase the rate of your natural healing."

"Eh? It healed me?!" He really should have wondered how his broken ribs and limbs had managed to fix themselves on their own.

"That is not the whole truth. The prana of this pendant covers your entire body like a protective skin… It is miraculous for sure, but it did not heal you." Her sharp eyes had already seen through the situation. "As I said, it held your body together, nothing more. Your natural regeneration increased due to the lessened burden."

"So as long as I wear this pendant I can survive bad injuries?" That was the best news he had heard all day (or night). He was sorry for calling this pendant tacky before!

"I… suppose. Do not become foolhardy or overly reliant on such miracles though." Her stance on it was mixed. This careful nature might have been misinterpreted as preachy, but Shige didn't even mind.

"I'm glad that this can support you Rider-san. And if it helps me stay alive all the better."

"Indeed." She nodded curtly and then touched his chest over the table. He froze completely. "Your wounds were not too severe, so a good rest might be all your body needs. We have already witnessed what happens once you are separated from this powerful crutch."

She was definitely right. That heaviness he had felt was probably his true physical state. In that sense it was a miracle indeed that he still held a conversation right now. Despite his worries he felt drowsy too.

"Rest well Shige and rise for our first day in this war." She nodded him to go to bed.

"Are you sure you don't need to-?"

"Yes."

Rider-san did not like to repeat herself obviously.

As Shige basically tore off the sticky uniform from his body and entered his warm and soft bed he sank into the sheets immediately with dozens of thoughts plaguing his mind.

On the top of that list was the question that he had tried to blend out until now.

Just what about him was _worthy_ in that amazing woman's eyes?

* * *

As he had gone to sleep just at the break of dawn, he awoke in late noon. The sun was already far across the sky and the atmosphere outside told of the rush hour.

Shigechiyo rubbed his eyes and touched his body carefully. No wounds had reopened. With a look at the pendant on his nightstand he sighed in relief.

He hopped out of bed and dressed himself with casual clothes that did not have giant blood stains on them. While his body was still sore, his mind was slick and racing. Of course he had not forgotten what happened last night and he already ruled out the dream explanation from the hard evidence around him.

More importantly though, a woman was inside his home. This in itself made him feel more afraid than the beatdown yesterday. He had been too tired to care before, but now he was painfully aware that Rider-san was right next door the entire time.

He would have to apologize to her for this shitty base of operations first of all and then try to make it up to her somehow…

Shige opened the door to the living room and stopped in his tracks. Something was different. Mainly the atmosphere of his humble abode. More specifically its raised levels of cleanliness and order!

His eyes were spinning as he looked at the sparkly clean floor, the relocated furniture (now there was actually some symmetry to this place) and the orderly folded clothes on his drawer.

The sounds of a running washing machine and drier pulled his attention to the bathroom. He was stunned and yet morbidly curious. His stiff legs moved mechanically towards the door, which his shaking arms opened rapidly.

Inside the shockingly clean bathroom stood Rider-san. She was currently folding a white towel and closing the spick and clean window at the same time.

The image of this housework demon and the proud warrior woman from before were clashing with the force of a thousand exploding suns inside Shige's mind and left only debris.

"Good morrow to you Shige." Rider-san did not even turn his way as she gave him a normal greeting.

"I- you-but-?"

She was not wearing her armor anymore. Right now she was clad in beige linen clothing that looked somehow medieval, but also really resilient and stylish. The top covered her unexpectedly curvy body completely and the pants were tied up with a hundred folds of string or something.

She did not appear like a housewife or anything, but was this really the same Rider that had told him not to treat her as a woman just hours ago?! She had gone through his place like a tornado, but instead of chaos she brought order.

"You truly are a young man down to your very way of life. Men will never change." She said in scolding, but with an edge of good humor. "It is important to keep your home as healthy as your body and soul."

She was probably right, but that didn't mean Shige could stand to look her way even for another second, so he escaped the bathroom at mach speed. What was he doing? What was _she_ doing? He couldn't even tell who was supposed to be the guest anymore!

To think this amazing angel was actually deeming to look his way…

Or that she wanted to kill six heroes in a death match.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and walked into the kitchen. Despite that early shock he felt an even stronger force pull his attention. Hunger.

Without taking much care he threw some rice into the cooker and leaned against the counter. His heart was a mess, but his mind was resurfacing from his teenage hormones. The pendant in his pocket was as warm as yesterday and somehow calmed him down. Helped him focus.

He had skipped school today for the first time since he enrolled. If what Rider-san said was true then nobody even knew what had happened yesterday. But what happened to Keiji, Ren and Amane? Were they okay? And if so, would they still go after him? These worries crossed his mind while he prepared his late breakfast (or was it lunch now?).

The first thing he should do was to call in sick for school and then make plans with Rider-san. School was the least of his concerns in this life and death situation.

 _Brrrrring._

The doorbell rang.

"What?" He was unable to react for a few seconds. The ringing repeated several times. That visitor was pretty impatient. But who would even visit him? The mailman should have come by hours ago and he usually never rang the bell. Then perhaps it was one of the people involved in that war?!

He slid out of the kitchen in a frenzy and made his way to the hallway and entrance. He probably didn't lock the door out of habit and distraction yesterday. Would a locked door even stop these crazy people? If they were mages, then couldn't they just magic the lock open? He was so done for-

"Yes?" Rider-san answered the door calmly. She had opened it without any hesitation.

Shige almost slipped on the floorboards and stubbed his toe. Writhing in pain he hopped behind the blonde Servant and tried to prevent a disaster. Only to realize that it was too late, the trigger had already been pulled!

"Ahem? Who are you supposed to be? Where is Sano-kun?"

That voice was all too familiar, He heard it almost daily. The curly chestnut hair floating in the wind was the first thing that met people's eyes, followed shortly by the scary expression on her face. _Natsunoe-sensei_ had come for another home visit.

"I am-" Rider-san was actually replying naturally, but Shige could not allow this to continue.

"Sh-she's my, uh, relative!" He burst between them and separated the two mature women with his presence as well as he could.

"There you are." The young teacher looked at him as if he had just crawled out of an adult shop or something. "You don't look sick."

"Come on Natsu-san…" He sighed. Despite their mutual disinterest for each other, the truth was that they were acquainted beyond the roles of student and teacher. It was not as fancy as it sounded though. Natsunoe-sensei was a good friend of his mother, so she had come over to their old home even before he went to high-school. Back the she had still been a teacher in training and was a lot more easy-going…

"Don't pull any funny stuff with me." She glared first at him and then at Rider. "You are Sano-kun's relative?" The doubt was written all over her face.

"Y-yeah on dad's side." His smile was twitchy for sure. He basically begged Rider-san with his eyes to play along.

"I am his aunt." She said with a unreadable face. For someone who could tell any lie with a glance, she sure was amazing at selling a untruth herself.

Except her words were not very convincing! Who would believe that a stunning foreign woman like her was actually related to a Japanese middle-class man?!

"Sano-san never seemed to talk much about his family." Natsunoe was not calling her out on the lie yet. "But Sae's father told me that his family hails from Europe."

Did grandpa really say that? Shige actually never heard of this before. How far back was that family line reaching to Europe?

And why was Natsu-san so okay with it?

"So you have been skipping class to welcome a family member at your home." She crossed her arms disapprovingly. "You need to learn common sense already. This is not acceptable."

"Give me a break. I really don't care about school right now." He shook his head, but saying something so bold would only backfire.

"I apologize for Shige's truancy. It was my fault for suddenly coming over without prior warning. He will be returning to school tomorrow." Rider-san unexpectedly backed him up… and also said something outrageous.

"You seem to be well mannered, unlike Sae and this delinquent over here." Natsunoe seemed to develop a weird understanding (or was it respect?) with Rider.

"I'm not a delinquent…" He grumbled.

"Honestly. You had me worried for a moment. After Nakamura and his group had called in sick I assumed that you had caught the same disease as them."

Nakamura? That was Keiji's last name. Which meant the trio had called in sick today? Was this proof that they had survived or that someone covered up their disappearance? Shige swallowed and hid his mouth behind one hand.

"Exams are around the corner, so good children should just keep studying diligently." She huffed at him. What happened to the kind-hearted Natsu-san? Probably drowned inside school work and returned as a heartless zombie.

 _Zombie_. The distorted faces of the insane Amane and Ren flashed by his eyes.

"I… will be back tomorrow, just like auntie said. Don't worry so much Natsu-san." He replied with a strained voice.

"Next time remember to call the school. Making me visit you with my busy schedule is unforgivable." She sighed and prepared to leave. Apparently she had only come by to check on him. "Before I forget." She turned back, which made Shige almost jerk back. "Here is your homework." She retrieved some papers from her bag and pushed it into his hands. It was quite a pile!

"Gee, thanks." He remarked dryly.

"I am your teacher after all." She smirked and then gave Rider a polite goodbye bow.

"A strong-willed woman." Rider-san commented with intrigue.

"Hardheaded would fit better." Shige said while looking at the papers in his hands.

They went back inside and returned to discussing the actually _important_ things.

"Why did you tell her I would come back to school?" He asked carefully.

"There is something I failed to mention before. Inside your school I sensed a barrier. A suppressing field of some kind that affected everyone who would enter."

"R-really? So it was placed there by one of those wizards?" Those were scary news. Had he been attending school alongside one of those killers all this time?!

"They were too weak to affect a Servant, but I cannot determine what deity they are calling upon."

"Deity?"

"They were closer to religious verses than spells. I have never felt such a thing before." Rider-san admitted.

"Then… you want me to investigate?" He was afraid of the answer already.

"We will have to follow this lead given to us by the gods." She confirmed his suspicions.

"By _we_ you mean…. You too?"

She nodded.

"I can't take you along to school Rider-san." He shook his head. "Especially now that Natsu-san recognizes you."

"It is disappointing that I cannot attain spirit form." She really did seem apologetic.

"If I remember right… you said that other Masters and Servants can feel your presence, right? Then it would have been bad if you came along even if you were invisible or whatever." He tried to comfort her clumsily.

"You will be in grave danger if they find out your identity." She reminded him.

"Yeah, but you said I'm not a mage. That means to them I just look like the boring guy that I always was…" He rubbed the back of his head.

"Please Shige. Should you ever be in danger I implore you to call out to me. I will always protect you." Her words were filled with sympathy that he had not expected. And at their core a will of steel.

She really was too great. It made him want to measure up to her expectations even more.

"By the way, what is this odd stench Shige?" She pushed aside her long blonde bangs and raised her nose curiously.

"Ahhhh!" He just remembered that he had put the rice cooker on the highest setting with the lowest amount inside. "My lunch!" He cried out and jumped in to rescue whatever could be saved.


	12. The Hermit II

**Oh right, he was the main character, wasn't he?**

* * *

 **The Hermit II**

* * *

The baby had been born at a price. The mother passed away in the hospital the very same night. As her pale hand sank down right after touching her child's soft face the light left her eyes. The nurse held a hand in front of her mouth and had to suppress her tears, while the doctor simply held the baby in his hands with a grim expression. There was nothing they could have done after she had arrived so late, already half dead.

And the baby? It was unnaturally quiet and hot. It had been born mere moments ago, but already it seemed to be at the verge of breathing its last breath. A fever was toiling the weak immune system of the newborn and pushing it to the brink. They did their best to treat the tiny infant to the best of their ability, but nothing short of a miracle could have saved him.

This miracle came in the form of the man that had carried the mother to the hospital all by himself. His expression was serene despite the devastating circumstances and he extended his hand towards the child. The doctor, unsure of what to do, let him proceed. The man's ponytail was sliding over his shoulder as he leaned forward and touched the baby on the forehead.

Its tiny blue eyes were almost closed completely, but then opened wide. The life that had been trying to escape its small body seemed to ripple through its limbs and throat, finally being channeled into a loud primal cry.

The man in auspicious white and blue traditional Japanese garbs turned around and left the emergency room behind with a smile.

Years passed after that fateful night.

The infant had become a toddler and eventually a young boy with a bleak expression on his young face. After surviving his own birth the boy had been brought up by several people. Eventually he ended up at the local orphanage, as was customary for a child without any prior connections. His mother had nothing to identify them on her body and was a complete mystery. The same was true for the man that had carried her to the hospital.

In the orphanage, life was hard for the boy. The woman acting as their guardian was kind, but her love had to be spread thin among many. She could not give him special treatment, but the same could not be said for the other children. Orphans have a unique cynical view on the world. For those who had been abandoned from the very beginning, how could the world be anything but an unjust punishment?

Not all kids were cruel in nature, but even the shy and calm ones reached a breaking point. To feel like they belonged somewhere, to realize what they had been deprived of so young, they would band together. They would fight, they would scream, they would rise above others to prove their worth. It was human nature to comfort oneself via the suffering of others. Because if there was someone who was even lower the food chain, then their own misery was put into perspective.

Thus anybody who did not conform to this rebellious nature, anybody who was different and did not fit into the mold would be ostracized and beaten down until they were misery incarnate. This scapegoat of the lost was none other than the boy who had survived by a miracle before.

"Isao… you shouldn't be fighting with the others so much." The orphanage's mother said with a sigh as she wiped the boy's bruised and bloody face. Her wiping was not at all tender or considerate of his pain, but rather pragmatic. They were sitting outside in the garden where an outdoor table with a dozen small chairs had been propped up. It was a warm summer day, but the sky had been filled with clouds.

"…" The boy spat out a mix of saliva and his own blood, but otherwise kept his mouth shut.

"I know that not everyone can get along right away, but if you try they will definitely-"

"They won't." The short-haired boy grumbled in a low voice.

The mother looked at him with sympathy and continued her ministrations. Although rough, there was kindness in the way she treated him. Her eyes truly were those of a mother rather than just a guardian.

"Why did you hit Sai?" She asked, her hand wiping his dirt covered cheek.

"He called me a stinky foreigner…" Isao replied quietly.

"Do you stink?"

"Huh?" Isao looked up in confusion, which promptly ended in him twisting his face in pain from the sudden movement.

"Well?" The mother's long brown hair was hanging into her face, but she pushed her bangs aside without breaking eye contact.

"I don't stink!"

"Then why did you get angry?"

"Because…" The young boy was unsure what she was trying to say. It was obvious to get angry when someone insulted you. That's all there was to it.

"Was it not because he called you a foreigner rather than that silly insult?" Her eyes were sharp and so were her nails as she accidentally scratched him while combing his hair back.

Isao bit his lip, but not because of the pain. He felt his eyes fill with heat. His vision was starting to turn blurry at the edges. Mother put a hand on his shoulder and forced him to look at her with her other hand pushing up his chin.

"It's alright. Being different isn't a bad thing." Those words absolved any dark feelings he could have harbored. She was not just comforting him, those were her honest feelings.

"B-but… everyone hates me because I look different…" He couldn't hold back the tears anymore and sniffed.

"Everyone is different in their own way. None of us is normal."

"Even… you?" He asked while wiping the tears from his eyes as fast as he could. They didn't stop coming out.

" _Especially_ me." She grinned all of a sudden. "My family and the supervisor call me weird all the time!" She pushed out her chest in something like pride.

"…you are a loser too then." Isao said with an unimpressed expression.

"Ouch… children are relentless." She looked a bit miffed and flicked his forehead in retaliation. Isao held his face in pain and curled down on the chair. "I would call myself a misunderstood eccentric." She declared.

"Ex-zen...?" The young boy looked at her in confusion.

"It means a special someone that people don't understand right away." She explained with a raised index finger.

Isao looked back at her with dulled eyes.

"Don't look so defiant in front of your dear sensei!" She flicked his head again.

"Uweeeh…" He cried pathetically.

"H-hey… did I overdo it?" She hastily came over and moved her hands around aimlessly.

"Hah!" Isao suddenly moved ahead and bit her exposed arm with all his might.

"Eeeek! You little!" She shook her arm, but Isao wouldn't let go. After some intense back and forth she wrestled herself free and pushed Isao down to the ground with her butt. He was unable to move under her weight. "I swear you are a born troublemaker." She huffed.

"Y-you… are heavy…" His muffled voice came from below.

"And for that you don't get any desert today." She said resolutely.

"….!"

"That and because I need to cheer up Sai somehow. You really roughed him up. Maybe he will forgive you if he gets two puddings."

"Don't give him my pudding!"

"Hmmm… what to do?" She played around for a while until she finally released the boy from her trap and then picked up the first aid kit. "Then you should just apologize to him yourself." She suggested with a smile.

"…I don't wanna." Isao grinded his teeth.

"You will never get along with anyone if you hold grudges." She lectured him without mercy.

"He said… he said my mommy threw me off a boat and then… then the ocean spat me out in Japan because it didn't want me either…" Isao balled his fists that were covered in band-aids.

Mother didn't look at him and instead hang the wet towel over a pole. Her face was hard to read. Isao's anger was spilling off her like the afternoon breeze.

"I hate Sai! I hate Ryuji and Gon and everyone else too! They always gang up on me and steal my things and laugh at me!" The dam had been broken and all the young boy's complaints were released at once. "I didn't wanna be a foreigner! I don't want to be like this! I didn't want to be _born_!"

 _Slap_.

The noise vibrated through Isao's skull for a bit, but his ears were ringing too much to catch it. His face was heating up more than from the previous scuffle with Sai and the others. She had really smacked him with her full strength.

His confused expression was soon replaced by pain and sadness. He held his burning cheek quietly and squatted down.

"Don't say that ever again." Her fury was real and she seemed to barely hold back another slap. Her shivering hand was twitching in pain too. "Don't ever say that you didn't want to be born."

Isao didn't understand why she had hit him… but he knew that she was hurting more than him. He let go of his cheek and pulled himself up on the outdoor table next to them.

"Life isn't always fair. Things don't work out how you want them to. Some people don't try to understand you and will even try to attack you for your differences." She finally let her twitching hand sink down. "But that's not all there is to life. If you feel bad now, you will feel happy another time. If you are angry, you will feel calm in time. As long as you can change… as long as you can connect with someone you will know that there was a good reason you were born."

"I don't get complicated stuff…" Isao felt lost.

"Your heart will know." She forcefully pulled him into an embrace. It was more like she was clutching to him, but it was comforting in its own way.

He wanted to return the embrace, but something stopped him. The hot tears had ebbed and his body felt heavy. She had been right; the anger subsided and was replaced with calmness. Maybe it was the exhaustion, but he felt like he could sleep for a long time…

* * *

"Mo…ther…" He stretched his hand forward as if to grasp someone, but it was futile. The dream had ended. Darkness was all around him.

"Is this the first word you will speak in front of me after such a long nap?" A voice rang through the darkness.

Collingwood opened his eyes. So that was why everything had been dark. His eyes were closed… no, his entire mind had been closed off from the outside world.

That voice penetrated his consciousness like a knife stabbed into his flesh. With an unexpectedly forceful upward motion he rose from the bed. To the surprise of the person standing next to him he was able to move freely. In an instant he grabbed her by the fabric of her clothes and then slammed her into the hard mattress. Instinctively he extended his hand down to his boots and pulled a hidden knife out of the leathery confines.

The blade's edge was pressed against the stranger's throat, so closely that it almost cut the finest layer of skin. He was breathing heavily and covered in sweat, but he was not helpless… this enemy would regret trying to kill him in his sleep!

"My apologies Master, but I am not _that_ kind of servant."

And yet the response he got from that assassin was utterly calm, if not a bit playful. The girl below him was clad in an eccentric dress and her lilac hair spread over the pillow like a violet sun on the blue sky. Her purple eyes were focused on him and filled with a depth that made him uncomfortable.

He let go of her frail arms that he pushed down so forcefully and raised the knife. In an instant all of the recent memories had flowed back into his mind. All thanks to her appearance.

"Caster…" He mumbled with a hazy mind and rolled over. His body might as well have been made of lead.

"At your service, my brutish Master." She chuckled and sat down on the side of the bed in a ladylike manner. "After you were so very appalled by my female appearance I did not expect you to try and bed me in such a forceful manner. You truly are full of surprises~"

"Nggh." This headache didn't seem to come from her annoying words alone. His body wasn't just heavy, it was also aching. There was a burning hot iron rod inside his shoulder or at least he still felt its phantom pain.

"To think you would be so nimble after sleeping for two whole days though, I must commend you." She closed one eye and looked out the hotel room's window.

"We're… at the hotel…?" He hated himself for how sluggish his responses were. His head was really trying to burst.

"Remember, you came by here to rid yourself of your luggage before showing me around town." She reminded him. "Carrying you here was no trouble at all for someone of my caliber, but as for your injuries…" She shrugged.

"You saved… me?" He coughed a few times. It was rather painful, talking at all right now.

"Fished you out of the river right before you were swept out of town. I wonder how many liters of water I extracted from your lungs?" She didn't seem pleased at the memory.

So his memory wasn't off. He really had almost drowned after the showdown with Rézny. That would also explain why he felt so cold. His body was still shivering from the freezing water even days later. It was regrettable that he had lost two days just sleeping too.

"You may thank me whenever you feel up to it of course." Caster tapped his shoulder ever so softly, but the burning pain that went through his muscles was out of this world. He grunted and bent over, trying to suppress pained moans. "My magic is powerful, yet healing has never been part of my repertoire. All I could do was to increase your natural healing ability in way of filling you to the brim with my prana."

So that was why he felt like he was bursting. It was the superfluous torrents of energy streaming through his human body and magic circuits. Prana was not supposed to be pumped into a body over its natural limits. Her way of pushing his life force to overflow was far from an ideal solution.

His shoulder was bandaged and seemed to have been sewn shut. She had not _just_ applied her 'magic' it seemed. Collingwood could only guess that below those soaked bandages he would find an imprint in the form of Rézny's brass knuckles. The mere thought of the Executor's cold eyes was fear inspiring now.

With a tug at the blanket that now only covered his legs he tried to move out of bed, but his balance was completely off and he instead fell on his side. Caster watched him with a mix of pity and patience.

"Where… are my… clothes?" He asked slightly ashamed of his weakness. His upper body was entirely naked and his pants were looking more worn than the tattered patchworks in a homeless shelter.

"Ah, I suspect you will find those rags inside your overflowing bag too. You have quite the assortment of odd possessions in there." She commented casually as she played with one of his needles.

"You went through my stuff?" He growled.

"To find the precious materials to take care of your demolished body, naturally." There wasn't a hint of guilt in her body language.

He had wondered where she had gotten a hold of a first aid kit actually, so it only made sense that she took the one he had brought along.

"Fixing the human body is not the same as knitting a scarf, but I consider this a job well performed." She definitely took pride in her work.

"I think my shoulder is infected…" He replied dryly.

"Hardly something you are unused to I presume." She crossed her legs and leaned back on the bed. "I have taken a good look at those scars of yours." Although her expression didn't change, the tone of her voice was a little off.

Collingwood looked at his exposed upper body and went over the dozens of scars that plastered his chest, stomach and waist. It probably didn't look any better towards his back. Marks of countless bad situations, but also of his continuous survival. He didn't really feel ashamed to have been inspected so intently, but being touched by someone while unconscious made him feel restless.

"You might appear sturdy and well trained, but a human will die all the same when poked one too many times." Her long ribbons floated in the air as she suddenly jumped up and spun in place to look directly at him. "May I inquire why you were so recklessly charging off on your own?"

Of course, that was not a request, but a demand.

"…." Collingwood might have been out of it, but he still knew when he messed up. He had no words for Caster.

"If you had been truly confident to take down your opponent I'd have no issue with this outcome. But in truth you were far outclassed and decided to keep going nonetheless." Her words were filled with a certain edge. She was completely right.

"…I couldn't have escaped that situation with normal means." Despite her correct assumption, he simply couldn't allow himself to be lectured here. His desperate struggle with Rézny had been a huge gamble, but had he not made it out alive?

"You are very much a fool." For once her mouth was not twisted in a sarcastic smile, but rather a displeased lowered curve. "It may be true that you had no normal means of escape, but aren't you willfully ignoring something?"

"What are you getting at?" He was too tired for riddles.

"You did not even consider calling upon my aid once, did you?" She looked resigned. The answer to that question had already been apparent once Collingwood's mouth twitched. "Those magical marks on your hand are not just a trick of the eye. They hold true power. Absolute orders for me to obey, surely, but also a way to surpass the limits of our conventional strategies, wouldn't you agree?"

"I get it already." He nodded, equally resigned now. Her words were sensible, but the way she had pushed him into a corner and kept kicking down was just annoying.

"Wonderful." She suddenly clapped her hands together and let her ambiguous smile return. "I am always pleased to see my advice having an effect on stubborn folk."

"I didn't ask for your advice though." Collingwood pressed a hand on his forehead and sighed. His body was starting to feel a bit lighter. He would be able to acclimate to this pain soon.

After managing to sit straight on the edge of the bed he suddenly felt a low grumble from the pit of his stomach.

"Oh my. Are you hungry perhaps?" Caster tilted her head.

Of course he was hungry. Why else would his stomach growl? Was this just another layer of her teasing?

"Haven't eaten in two days." He retorted gloomily.

"Indeed, I could not hazard a guess how to feed an unconscious person, so I gave up eventually." She played with the folds of her wide skirt as she recollected.

"You need to hold their nose shut and liquefy the food so they can swallow… wait what do you mean?" He had instinctively shared his acquired experience with the topic, but then realized what her words implied.

"Hm?"

"You… tried to feed me?"

"Why yes. You were making such a pitiful face, I could not help myself." She nodded, all smiles.

"Where did you get the food from?!" Now he was certain about his uneasy feeling.

"I simply called the room service." She replied energetically.

"I only rented this place for one person and whose money did you use-?"

"Are you truly so small-minded, Master?" She chuckled. "Did you already forget my talents?"

"So you shapeshifted to take my appearance." He did remember that uncanny ability of hers. But that didn't answer his second question…

"The attendant was very forthcoming and sent everything I requested. Service in this era is very commendable!" She nodded as if she was praising a new ramen place she had found in the downtown or something.

"…where did all the food go then?" He gulped.

"It would have been a terrible waste to throw it away, so I took care of it. You may view it as my medical fee~" She curtsied playfully.

By 'took care of it' she obviously meant that she wolfed it all down while he was starving right next to her… Was she really a Servant? They didn't require any food as far as he remembered!

What this really meant was that she had ordered an unknown amount of luxury foods and stuffed herself at his expense. He had seen through her right away.

"This isn't what my life savings are for." He sighed.

"I am aware that you have that kind of mindset. All too aware." She glanced around the hotel room. Somehow he could feel a palpable contempt from her mask like face. "As much as it pains me to tell you this…" She suddenly changed gears and dramatically moved closer to him as if lamenting something. "This workshop is far from safe."

"I put up a bounded field-"

"You mean that pathetic paper-thin barrier?" She raised a brow. "I assumed it was a prank. Just some little joke for intruders to let their guard down."

Collingwood didn't dare look her in the eyes right now. She poked her finger into his injured shoulder.

"Cut it out!" He lowered his head. "It was just a makeshift solution, alright? Nobody would suspect me here and-"

"Is that so? I was not speaking out of mere assumption. This place is not safe, because it has already been discovered." She plainly told him all of a sudden.

"Huh?!"

"That unpleasant knight has been skirting around the district for the last two days. He shan't be led astray by my distractions much longer." Her gaze had turned sharp and she once again looked outside the window. The sunlight was weak, meaning that the nightly conflict would soon start.

Collingwood cupped his chin thoughtfully. It was true that Rézny had investigated him beforehand. Clearly he knew a great deal about him already. It would not be surprising if he found his current hideout, even with his 'alias'.

"Do not fret. We still have a while until escape is inevitable. If this hadn't been the case I would long since have taken you away, even if you had bled on my dress a bit."

She was actually easing his worries? What a shocker.

"So you'd rather let me rest a while longer?" He smirked.

"This shabby bed will probably do more harm than good to your shambled bones, but there is no harm in catching our breath, yes?" Although she wrapped it in jest, her concern for his well being was apparent.

"…" He rubbed his stiff neck and then leaned over to pull a shirt out of the bag below his bed. With trained motions he put it on in a flash (despite the injury). "T-thanks…"

"What was that? You are awfully quiet Master." Her upturned lips were pure glee.

"Nothing." He huffed and carefully moved his shoulders.

"Really now? You are a dishonest man, 'Isao Dazai'." She jumped on the windowsill kicked her legs back and forth like a child. Maybe her good mood came from the fact that Collingwood was so obviously startled.

"The receptionist?" He guessed.

"She was very compliant." Caster shrugged. "How odd. You do not strike me as an _Isao Dazai_." She grinned.

"You don't strike me as a hero either." Collingwood replied with a glare.

"Ah, but the difference is that I never claimed to be such!" She winked.

He had to admit that she was good at this verbal fencing stuff. His rustiness in social interactions was certainly not helping either though. In between their exchange he had realized that he hadn't even told her his name once. So she had to resort to these roundabout tactics.

"It might not fit me, but that's my legal name." He pulled out a passport from his coat on the floor. The name 'Isao Dazai' was written on it in Kanji. It was a Japanese passport after all.

"Is it a fabrication?" Caster was quick-witted and her conclusion was not unreasonable.

"Not at all. I am a Japanese citizen." Collingwood replied with a slight smirk.

"The world is a curious place." Apparently she was not going to insist on opposing his claim. She really had the countenance of an adult, despite her teenage appearance. Well from a certain light she looked much older, even he had to admit.

"So will you tell me _your_ true name now? It seems only fair." He shot back quickly while he was ahead.

"I fear that you have not quite earned my trust yet, Master. But I appreciate the effort." She kept spinning one of her ribbons around her index finger while denying him cutely.

Trust, was it? She sure had some nerve. Once again he felt a tremendous impulse to force it out of her with a Command Seal.

"It pains me to interrupt our banter so soon, but we need to have a talk about our strategy." Despite her childishness before, she was easily steering the conversation.

"Seems that Lancer didn't have a spear that could impale your heart so easily." Collingwood looked at her completely intact chest. It was not opulent enough to stop much of anything in the first place.

"…I do not appreciate that look." Caster… pouted? That was a sight to behold.

"Why would a dragon care about chest size?" He felt pretty smug right now.

"As I am storing my fiery breath inside, you would better be careful about such remarks." That threat was spoken with a voice dripped in honey, but to Collingwood it appeared more like deadly acid.

He coughed.

"You did fare better than me anyway."

"Perhaps. That black knight is not to be underestimated. He has high magic resistance and his cursed spear eludes me still. If I never encountered him again it would still be too soon." She went through her shoulder-length hair and twisted her lips.

"Rézny is a monster as well. I didn't think Executors could get any scarier." He scratched his stubble and looked into the distance. The worst part was that he just knew that the enemy Master had not even used his full arsenal and abilities. The way he had completely demolished Collingwood was not even close to his peak. It was honestly terrifying.

"I should not have to mention this, but as a Caster I am more suited to working in the background. It would be nice if I could build a workshop at the very least. The ley lines are not generous in this… place." She stopped herself from calling the hotel a dump he guessed.

"I thought they were strong around the river." That's why he had chosen this hotel at the riverside in the first place.

"It might appear so to a modern magus. But as a certified magician, I would not bet on a receptive audience in this area."

"Who are you trying to impress with your magic tricks?" He squinted.

"The audience might be small, but the prize for victory is worth the effort." She chuckled.

"…you want to make a wish of the Grail too, right?" He asked slowly.

"It's not a matter of 'want' anymore." For just a second her eyes returned to that melancholy he had witnessed during her summoning. But they immediately regained their playful charming light. "Asking a lady her secrets is not good etiquette though."

"You really like exploiting that fake appearance, huh?" He sighed. Sadly it was kind of working…

"Do you think of me so badly, Master?" She blinked a few times with her admittedly long eyelashes.

"I think _you_ tested me on the night where I got this scar." He pointed a thumb at his shoulder.

Caster's smile was unwavering.

"You knew we were being watched and purposely led us into their strike zone. You might complain about having to fight in the open, but this was your own doing." He crossed his arms.

"Hm. That sounds plausible, but where is your proof?" She wasn't even taking him seriously.

"Doesn't matter. I didn't join this war to avoid fighting. But at least tell me next time."

"You are more easygoing than you let on." She looked genuinely surprised.

"…well I probably didn't get a passing mark considering what happened. And I… uh… owe you for fishing me out of that river…" He had to swallow his pride, but he finally managed to say it.

"Is that a sensitive side I can spy from below your gruff shell?" She held a hand in front of her mouth in exaggerated shock.

"Shut up." He regretted everything immediately.

"Hehe. Speaking of your unruly appearance. While you were sleeping the Holy Grail War away, I have come up with a little plan. But it is vital that you take care of that scruff first. I have seen scarecrows that looked slicker than you." She waved her hand dismissively.

Just why was she so insistent on his bad looks? He didn't care about that in the slightest. What kind of plan required him to spruce up anyway…?

"I don't get it, but let's get to it then." Getting up immediately he was feeling much better than before. But the instant he took one step his stomach was growling so loudly that he almost collapsed.

"It's time for dinner already." Caster laughed.

"I'm not paying for your share." Collingwood hid his blush with a scowl.


	13. Legerdemain

**Legerdemain**

* * *

The red sunset had given way to the pure night sky, but the lights of the commercial district did their best to outshine the newly sparkling stars. While the streets were still filled with people grinding across the same grid of arrival and return, the wealthier block was far more scenic. A great monument of an artistic shape that might have resembled a strand of DNA had been placed in the center of a plaza. Surrounding it were several giant water fountains that had been build in a hexagonal pattern.

And the road at its center led straight to the grand hotel, _Ahnenrast_ , one of the finest of its kind and the best in Matsumae. Only the absolute elite could even hope to enter its shiny lobby. One of these elites was moving in the opposite direction however and her stomping feet suggested that it was on bad terms.

The lady in a white fur coat and expensive Prada high heels was fuming. Right behind her followed the prostrating hotel manager, who had come down to appease her personally.

"P-please Madame Léger, I apologize for my employee's rudeness, he will be fired immediately and kicked out of the establishment starting tomorrow!" The balding manager was rubbing his hands nervously, but he didn't give up on his best customer yet.

"This is outrageous! To think you'd employ such a brute in the first place, I have misplaced my trust! This-this-this den of covetous parasites shall never see another first class celebrity on its doorstep again! I will personally make sure of that!" She kept screeching furiously.

"B-but Madame! The intern was unable to remember how it happened… p-perhaps it was an accident?" All he could do was try to stop her now, even if it was unseemly to grab a guest by the arm.

But just as he was about to stop her, the huge bodyguard next to her instead clutched the manager's thick arm in his steel like grip. He was towering over the manager and glaring down from below his deep hanging hat. The manager could see his piercing eyes from the gap below his sunglasses.

"Madame Léger wishes to leave, sir." He growled in a low voice.

"Eeeek!" The old man stumbled back cowardly.

"You are ruined! Ruiiiined I saaaay!" She stormed out of the hotel and moved straight to her already waiting limousine. Her bodyguard followed behind quietly and glared back at the staff surrounding the shaking manager one last time.

As the limousine drove off wildly around the plaza and then out the exit area towards the main street, the other curious guests inside the lobby and outdoor garden were watching with mild interest. This was the type of thing that would end up in the tabloids the next morning for sure. The hotel's star rating was bound to go down.

The manager held his pale face and cried.

"Why did that foolish boy do something so unbelievable?" One of the maids asked in confusion.

"I heard he was frustrated with his treatment so he wanted to get back at management."

"Seriously? Today's youth has no respect for their elders!"

"Maybe he is one of those creeps that love stealing stuff from celebrities?"

"To sell it online? I totally saw those offers before. Who would have thought our hotel had this kind of scum."

They were all gossiping while the receptionist helped the manger up. Both of them were deadly silent now. This spelt trouble for their future; a famous actress with a lot of clout overseas could ruin any establishment with one pointed finger. The best outcome would be to become infamous and ride the waves of curiosity, but that would not please the founder family of the hotel chain.

"Where's the boy?" The manager asked in frustration.

"Already ran away. Probably guilt." The receptionist whispered into the manager's ear.

"So we can't even appease her with his punishment…"

Everything really had turned out terrible. The crowd of employees and service staff was urged to disperse and get back to their jobs. Just as the manager was going to use the elevator to return to his office, a low humming entered his ears.

He turned back and saw something unexpected.

The white limousine had returned! It was headed straight for the hotel. Unlike minutes before it was now approaching in a throttled tempo. The engine tuckered out just at the lowest step of the entrance stairwell. The bodyguard from before stepped out of the co-driver's seat and then walked around to the other side and pulled open the door for Madame Léger. The famous actress seemed to have regained her composure after her horrific outburst from before.

She said something to the tall man in sunglasses and he nodded stiffly. Then he pulled some luggage out of the car and followed after her. There was way more than what they had left with and it threatened to crush the struggling man.

Madame walked up the stairs elegantly and returned to the lobby with an expensive looking hand fan. She kept fanning herself with cool air, which might have been the reason she seemed less erupting than before.

"Madame, you returned!" The manager immediately rushed to her side and bowed his head deeply.

"Hmph. Lupus said there are no hotels befitting of my standing in the general area. I have no interest in traveling such a great distance to my next shoot, so this barbaric place will have to do." She was clearly giving them a second chance from the kindness of her heart…

"Yes! We will immediately prepare your suite! T-the discomfort you experienced will never happen again, as we will make certain to handpick our personnel for you-"

"Silence." Madame hissed. "I will not put myself in the hands of your incompetent staff any longer. You may deliver things for me, but nobody is to enter my place again, are we clear?" Her glare made everyone shrivel back in submission.

"O-of course." They bowed so deep that their heads might soon touch their feet.

"We will be staying for at least another week. Lupus, come and carry those things to my suite." She clicked her tongue and urged the overburdened bodyguard to follow her.

They walked towards the elevators and as the doors closed the famous actress hid her displeased face behind her silk fan.

* * *

"This stuff is heavy dammit." The bodyguard named Lupus groaned under the weight of the luggage.

"Now now, don't go slacking off just yet. Menial tasks such as this are your bread and butter." The lady in a white fur coat smiled haughtily and slapped his butt with her fan. He almost toppled over.

"You are enjoying this too much…" Lupus growled and glared back at his 'mistress'.

"We will arrive soon. The 26th floor is high up indeed." Nothing of her previous anger seemed left as she excitedly watched the floors pass by the glass cased elevator. It seemed to go on forever, but eventually they came to a halt and exited.

"This entire floor is just for that one suite?" Lupus couldn't believe his eyes and pulled up his hat. The motion almost made him fall over and get crushed by dozens of bags.

"I told you this would be worthy of our base~!" Madame Léger spun on her feet, making her white fur coat spin and then hopped backwards like a child. "Aren't you glad to have me around?"

"This is going a little too far…" He sighed and kicked the door open with his only free leg. As soon as they entered the spacious apartment he let all of the luggage fall to the floor and flung himself on the extravagant couch. His hat fell off and revealed combed back dirt-brown hair.

"Do you not want to inspect the place first, Master?" The former actress suddenly shrank and completely changed her appearance. In a moment Madame Léger was replaced by the ever amused Caster.

"It would take me until morning just to look through all the rooms." He waved his hand dismissively and rubbed his hurting shoulder. The injury was still not healed.

Collingwood felt extremely confined in the butler suit, so he undressed and threw it away. One of the bags he had carried here contained his old outfit, which he promptly put on.

"Such a shame. You looked really presentable for a moment there." Caster lamented. "Even so, I must say with just one shave and haircut you are almost a different man." She smiled teasingly and sat down on the fluffy couch while he pulled stuff from his bags.

"I don't feel any different." He replied lethargically and studied the tools he had carried all the way here.

"That is the nature of things, I suppose. At the very least I will not be ashamed to walk side by side with you anymore."

"…" Her words were cutting deeper with time. "I damn well hope this place was worth the trouble. Hypnotizing people for trivialities is against the rules." He tried to scratch his stubble, but immediately realized that he was clean shaven.

"Modern magi are truly a frightening lot. To be taught how to manipulate the common people so easily, you must feel rather superior." Caster folded her hands behind her head and whipped her legs in a strange rhythm.

Caster's plan had been quite simple. She had transformed into a fake bellboy and stolen something from the great Madame Léger. After her outrage they had caught her while driving away and Collingwood had used basic memory manipulation on them to make them forget about the whole thing except for the part of them wanting to leave. Caster had even created an illusion of the limousine for outsiders. It had been quite weird to carry all this stuff through the plaza while people were staring at them as if they were driving a car.

"I never spoke a lie Master. This is indeed an ideal location for my workshop. Or rather a temple." She cracked her fingers and then clapped two times. A violet wave of energy passed through the room and walls and then got reflected in blue once more. "From up here I have an incredible view on the city as well. Astral Gates can be used strategically from here."

Compared to the three floor hotel they were staying at before this was definitely an improvement. Even Collingwood could feel the ley line below this area thriving immensely. How had he not realized this before?

"It is said that places with ley lines will experience wealth and growth as well as significance in history. It seemed only natural that this district of the rich was build on top of the main vein." Caster repeated her explanation from before they left the old hotel a few hours ago.

"Won't our enemies expect us to be exactly here then?" Collingwood was still doubtful of staying in such an extravagant place. Not in small part because they were using someone else's identity and resources against their will.

"The ley lines run deep and long. It is not easy to tell where they truly start and end. Anyone but a Caster will not find this an easy task." She stroked her ego as usual, but it was probably not an exaggeration. "Furthermore, my serious Master, hiding in plain sight is what a magician does best." She shrugged gracefully and continued to place barriers and seals on the walls and ceiling.

"Involving outsiders is not the way." He couldn't accept it… but for his wish he would have to bend his rules a little.

"Look at it from a different angle if you would. Thanks to our intervention this hotel will not be ruined and badmouthed. For that alone the manager owes us a short stay, does he not?"

"Until you remember that this whole escapade is our doing." He twisted his mouth, but gave in nonetheless. No party was actually harmed in this process and he had much to gain. Simply following the best results was also the way of a magus.

"Have you noticed by the way?" The lilac haired girl touched the slick panorama windows with a childish curiosity and casually continued the conversation.

"That we were being tailed? Sure." He nodded as he spread some tools on the table and hung a catalyst over the fake fireplace.

"You seem awfully composed. Friends of yours perchance?"

"Not really. They were from the Tohsaka clan." He had noticed their vigilant eyes on his back all the way to the barbershop and beyond. Until Caster had used her illusions and Astral Gates to shake them off.

"Tohsaka?"

"The landlord family of this city. They supervise it during peaceful times. Though now the Church has higher authority for the duration of the war." Although Ryouko Tohsaka had guaranteed him that she would keep those true believers off his back.

"I assume you are in an agreement with them then?" Caster was as perceptive as always.

"A ceasefire, nothing more. Seems she doesn't trust me very much though." He smiled wryly. Having only two people tailing them was probably a show of trust in that scary lady's book.

"Curious. I was made aware by the Grail that modern magi have only one successor. Yet there were so many of them." Caster played with her ribbon and looked at a neon sign as if it was an impressionist painting.

"The Tohsaka clan seems to be acting as an unofficial school. They are gathering a lot of outcasts at their place." To what end, he could not say. Ryouko seemed to be scheming something big though.

"Aha, what a troublesome opponent. It is commendable that you pacified this odd woman. Perhaps she has an interest in scruffy hermits."

"Quit it already." The now cleaned up hermit was still not beyond ridicule it seemed. His brown eyes were reflecting the lights from outside as he watched Caster turn around.

"A simple jest. Following your explanation, we can assume then that we have five unknown enemy Masters and six unidentified Servants. After our little sparring match with those brooding characters, it is all too evident that we cannot best them without much preparation."

"So?" He nodded her to continue.

"So we shall focus on the remaining five for now."

"Can't you just find them all with a crystal ball or something?" His right hand went through his combed back hair and loosened it up a little.

"Do you think me a soothsayer now?" She squinted her eyes.

"Why not? You always go on about being a great magician. Any kind of trickster will do." Collingwood replied without thinking.

"I simply cannot let that pass." She raised a finger in annoyance. "Magic is illusion. Soothsayers rely on other forces than that of man. Do not compare my little parlor tricks to their divination."

Collingwood was stunned. She was angry that he spoke ill of soothsayers, rather than herself? The inside of this shapeshifter's mind was an enigma to him. He averted his eyes in contemplation.

"To answer your ignorant question, I have no such power. A glass ball will only reflect your empty gaze." She returned to her composed smile and continued. "Alas I have other ways of obtaining the information we need. My plan will most definitely bear fruit."

The way she had said 'plan' really send a shiver down his spine. There was something ominous about her purple eyes too.

"What-?" He opened his dry lips, but…

"Hm? Is this… a television?" Caster's penetrating gaze was pulled away from him in an instant and she rushed towards the giant flat-screen TV on the wall. Her small hands inspected it with rekindled élan.

"You know what a TV is?" It slipped out of his mouth without thought.

"The Grail provides all Servants with relevant knowledge of this era. But such sublime machinery! This is the power of human inventiveness. The design is plain, yet the concept is anything but." She actually pried the plating open with her bare hands (even Servant Caster had superhuman strength after all) and inspected the inside. Wiring and chips greeted her curious eyes.

"It's not that complicated. You just turn it on and select a channel." This was something even he knew. Magi were notorious for their ineptness with technology, but Collingwood had spent his childhood among normal people. He still remembered the old TV at the orphanage. He spoke with confidence, maybe slightly proud of his own knowledge.

"Yes yes, the radio waves are transmitted and received with these parts… Cable or satellite? Hm, very interesting. To think that such a thin screen would be made possible with a simple trick like this." She turned the TV on with a button on the side and switched between channels. "High definition. Four thousand pixels? This is impressively close to reality. And the resolution is affected by the filming device and…"

She went on for quite a while. Collingwood stared ahead blankly. He couldn't follow her around the two minute mark. In fact even before that he had only heard of the terms, but did not comprehend them. Even if he hadn't been a magus, surely this was not common knowledge among the citizens? Much less for an ancient hero standing in front of a high-tech device!

"Are you from the future?" He asked in a stupor.

"What makes you say so, Master?" She didn't even look back. Her eyes were focused on the news channel that was running across the screen.

"Nevermind." Was that even possible? Theoretically the Grail just contacted the Throne of Heroes. Something he could hardly wrap his mind around as a concept in the first place, but it shouldn't have been impossible for it to register heroes from the distant future. This tech savviness was abnormal no matter how he looked at it.

"Those overseers seem to be doing their job quite well. There is not a single word of the War going around." She nodded in satisfaction.

"'course." He grunted and pinched his waist to focus. Caster's interest in technology was not important right now. "You said something about a plan?" He reminded her impatiently.

"Oh yes. You have already accepted my advice before, so you should have faith in this one as well." She chuckled. "You will play center stage this time."

* * *

"This is a terrible idea." Collingwood covered his face with one gloved hand. It was far from cold outside even at this late hour, but the breeze was picking up. The black gloves were not a fashion statement, but to hide his Command Seals though.

" _You are a pessimist at heart, hm?"_ Caster's voice resounded inside his head. The telepathy between Master and Servant was convenient at least. The eccentrically dressed girl was not standing out for once as she had positioned herself on a rooftop far behind him.

"You scolded me for fighting at the front lines before." He reminded her with dulled eyes.

" _If everything goes as planned you will not have to lift a finger."_ He just knew that she winked while saying this.

Collingwood leaned against the cold wall of an apartment building and rubbed his temples. He pulled out a single cigarette from the pack in his chest pocket and put it between his teeth (unlit as usual). The concentration of prana in the air was almost palpable. Caster's output was beyond illogical and passed into the realm of legends. As expected of a heroic spirit.

Of course this bait would attract only the most dangerous of predators. Cautious Masters would wait this situation out and try to gain Intel from a distance. The downside of that strategy was that they could not spot Collingwood easily. The bustling midnight cafés next to the small street he was waiting in were filled with dozens of people that could have been potential Masters.

This also served as his protection from any far ranged area of effect Noble Phantasms that might otherwise have been carelessly unleashed his way. Hopefully.

His sharp eyes went through the couples and groups that were gathered all over the place. These people lived carefree lives to be out so late to enjoy themselves. He was almost a little envious. But in truth, ignorance was frightening. To him their lives were the truly taxing ones.

A low rumbling made him turn around. There was a metallic sound and then a cat hissed. Collingwood was not naïve enough to say something like 'just a cat'. He put one hand into his pocket where his needles were already sliding between his fingers. The cat had turned quiet unnaturally fast.

From the shadows of the alley emerged a person. It was a man, perhaps at the start of his twenties, holding the cat in his arms. After the calico's yellow eyes noticed Collingwood it suddenly struggled free and jumped out of the man's arms. It was not scared at all, but rather watching intently.

Collingwood acted like he was just enjoying the night breeze and waiting for someone. All the while glancing at the newcomer. This stranger was wearing a blue jacket that was casually hanging from his shoulders. His white shirt was surprisingly clean and ironed. Although he appeared sloppy, he clearly put some effort into his appearance, much unlike Collingwood. This guy had dark blue hair that was at least a bit lighter than his jacket, but still reminiscent of the transcendent night sky. One of his bangs was long and covered his right face half down to his lips, while the other was cleanly cut above his brow.

He might have been described as a pretty boy by teenage girls, but to Collingwood he appeared to be a shallow creep. After letting go of the cat he had put his hands into the pockets of his trousers all too naturally and was now walking hunched over. Everything about his posture, to his looks, to his empty gaze was the definition of 'rebellious'. This man did not conform.

Collingwood grinded his teeth. This would be ugly.

"Hey, you." The blue haired man called out to him with a low and disinterested voice. His Japanese had a light accent, but it was impossible to tell from which country.

"Hm? Are you talking to me Mister?" Collingwood replied in his best startled act. He had to appear like a slightly tired civilian waiting for a date or something. Acting normal was not one of his strengths, but to this weirdo he would probably pass as a model citizen of this city…

"Yup." He cracked his neck unpleasantly and looked up the house façade that Collingwood was leaning on. "That annoyin' sound up there is yours, right?" He asked tiredly.

Sound? He couldn't hear anything aside from the chatter from the café close-by.

"Ahhh, this humming… it's so freaking annoying! _**Shut up**_!" He suddenly stomped really heavily on the asphalt while yelling up. His boot left visible cracks inside it.

Collingwood tensed up. Now he was certain that this man wasn't normal. He must have been a Master!

" _Careful Master. This… thing was looking straight at me."_

Caster's warning was unnecessary. He could have guessed as much. She called him a thing and that might have been appropriate. His glare was almost beastly.

"What if it _was_ my 'sound'?" He replied calmly.

"Then I'll smash yer face in until ya make it stop." Now the man was antagonizing him directly.

"Are you a Master?" Collingwood asked with crossed arms. There was no use in pretending in front of that man's penetrating glare. He would have attacked him either way if this continued.

"So that's what this's about." He tilted his head in annoyance. "Name's Leroy Derickson. If ya wanted to get killed by me, you coulda done it without that shitty noise. Just ask." His killing intent wasn't camouflaged in the slightest. He was ready to bare his fangs at any time.

"Sorry, I don't have any intention to be killed by you or anyone else." A cold sweat drop ran across Collingwood's cheek. He felt exceptionally nervous. Derickson had a different aura from Rézny, but he felt just as deadly. If a magus revealed their name so easily it was either out of an old-fashioned sense of courtesy or because they felt not threatened at all. This man was clearly not the polite type.

"Good one." Derickson cracked a terrifying smile.

"Your Servant hasn't attacked me yet." He remarked and switched to English.

"I don't need his stinkin' help to murder small fry." Derickson replied in perfect English. Again just a hint of an accent. So he was smarter than he acted. Or just bilingual.

More importantly, that information was useful. So Derickson did not cooperate with his Servant on this. Meaning he was probably close-by, but not interfering. Caster would be able to find him eventually, but she was more concerned with ejecting Collingwood out of the situation if need be. This time he was not alone…

"If you ain't strong I really don't give a fuck about this. So make it interestin', will ya?" The disinterest in his voice was tantalizing. He really did view Collingwood as a small fry. In an instant Derickson pulled out a gun from his jacket and aimed it at his enemy.

"Wait, there are people nearby-!" He raised his hand to stop him (the cigarette fell out of his mouth as it went agape), but to his shock the loud _blam_ from the gun echoed inside his ears. The bullet was fast and Collingwood was no Executor. He could not deflect bullets with his reflexes. The projectile dug deep into the surface and stopped only after a few seconds.

The barrier in front of his face dissipated in a purple hue.

His heart had almost stopped from the shock, but he was used to deadly situations. Instead of freezing up he rolled away to dodge the next bullets. Caster had saved his life just now, but he wasn't sure how well she could assist from her position up there.

"Feh. Can't take care of your own shit?" Derickson spat out and kept shooting with one hand like a madman. To smuggle a gun into Japan was not that hard for a magus perhaps, but to fire it in public was definitely foolish. With a glare he looked past Collingwood and suddenly aimed up. His next bullet was blocked by another barrier right in front of the panicking crowd in the café.

Caster had protected them, but that seemed to have been Derickson's plan. He jumped forward with surprising momentum and kicked down on Collingwood. Without much of a choice the hermit crossed his arms to block the attack and felt a heavy impact to his wrists. That kick was impressive.

He pulled up his needles and threw them at Derickson's retreating head. The blue-haired magus was able to dodge them easily, but he didn't notice the one that Collingwood had stabbed directly into his foot. The needles smoothly penetrated the man's shoes and went straight into his flesh. Most people would flinch at least a little at the pain, but Leroy seemed to be unaffected and just hit Collingwood with the butt of his gun.

"Link… start." Collingwood wiped the blood from the bruise on his face and threw more needles. Two of them hit steps below Derickson and the third was stabbed firmly into one of the many outdoor table's tablecloth.

"Neat toys ya got there. Don't hurt much though." He aimed his gun at crouching Collingwood again, but in the same moment the tablecloth was flying his way. Without a care he swiped it away with his hand and tore it apart. The same second he was shooting his gun, but to his surprise the steps below him were torn apart the same way the tablecloth had been. He fell backwards and missed his shots that went uselessly into the air.

"Run!" Collingwood called out to the petrified crowd. "This man has lost his mind!"

"A—ahaaaaah!" A women screamed and that snapped the rest out of their stupor. They started running away in droves now.

"Son of a bitch." Leroy had flipped back on his feet without trouble, but he did seem annoyed by his blunder.

"A normal gun won't be enough to deal with us." Collingwood taunted. In reality he just wanted this madman to stop shooting indiscriminately.

"That so? Without the little bitch up there you'd be dead at my feet." His one exposed eye was getting wilder.

Somehow he must have gotten information on Caster already. Which meant that his Servant was not far. At least that was the only explanation he could come up with. They hadn't met this duo before.

"C'mon, try to pull that shit again." He smiled threateningly. Then he pulled the trigger.

A barrier was placed in front of Collingwood, but he reacted just in time not to get shot from the side. The first bullet was a feint; the second one was ricocheting from the fountain next to them. This guy was a ridiculously good shot. He wondered if that gun was his Mystic Code.

" _Master, I will pull you out now. This is not going as planned."_ Caster was resolute. That was probably the best option. If he left then this murderous bastard would have no reason to keep shooting into the crowd. Unless he was going to do it to bait him back into the fight.

"I…" He stepped back where the Astral Gate appeared. Just one more step back and he would have been to safety. "…won't fall for that!" He jumped to the side and dodged a knife. The Astral Gate dissipated.

"Ahhhhrrgghhh…." The woman that had screamed before was holding the knife. And her eyes were rolled up. Her mouth was drooling a bit. Something about her pose was just horrificly abnormal.

Right away a bullet hit the pavement next to where he was a second ago.

"Tch. Stop scurrying around." Derickson murmured. He didn't even notice the knife swinging woman yet. He reloaded his gun with a clip from his pocket.

" _Why is that one attacking you…? I will shoot her down."_ Caster sounded impatient. She must have felt just as uneasy as him. She had not attempted to kill Derickson from afar, because his Servant would definitely have interfered, but this random attacker-

"Stop! They are civilians." He denied her idea.

" _I know that much. My photon bullets can be lowered to a non-lethal level."_

It was foolish to treat Caster like a child. She knew exactly what she was doing… but.

Just as a volley of purple bullets hit the crazy woman in the chest, which would surely have knocked her out, three more people surrounded Collingwood. They were in the same state as the woman and armed with silverware. Forks, knives and something that resembled a corkscrew. It would have been easy to take them out, but without harming them?

He couldn't put on his soft gloves while Derickson was still shooting at him. Caster was busy blocking the bullets and shooting these new enemies down and on top of all that…

"Kekeke…" The woman that had been felled by Caster rose in a backbreaking and gravity defying motion. Her white eyes were pulsating.

"What the hell…?" Collingwood deflected a fork with his needles and kicked the fat attacker in the back of the knee. He fell over and was then promptly punched with the force of a fist that had the concept of 'hardness' from a floor tile that had been stabbed by another link needle. The impact was so heavy that Collingwood feared he had broken the fat man's neck.

The injured man did not stay down. None of them did.

"Can't stop them unless we make them immobile or kill them." Collingwood concluded fast.

" _Just get to my Gate."_

"STOP!" In that moment Derickson's primal shout made them all stop in their tracks. His bloodshot eye stared into the night. "I told you not to interfere you bastard!"

Collingwood's blood froze over. The words were not directed at him and yet he still felt like retreating on the spot.

"Having a… disagreement with your Servant?" He taunted with a forced smile.

"I'll kill you soon. But it will be with my own hands." Leroy was furious.

The zombie like people surrounding Collingwood had stopped their attack. The woman with the twisted spine opened her mouth like a puppet and spoke.

"MAsterrrr, it's NOT wort-h the efFFFort. Casterrrr WiLl b-b-eeee botherSOME." The words were distorted, but the meaning still came across.

"I don't need your fucking help." Leroy said in an uncompromising tone. Cold anger was much more intimidating than a simple yell. "These cowards ain't tough shit. They won't even kill that trash. All they can do is run away."

Collingwood's smile turned into a line. He slowly rose from his squatting position and let his head hang darkly. That caught Derickson's attention.

"What's the matt'r?" The blue-haired magus gave him a cocky smile.

Collingwood raised his hands. In the same moment they reached the height of his chest all of the 'zombies' around him were suddenly impaled by needles through their chest. He had moved so fast that even Leroy had not seen him do it.

"Link… chain." With a flick of his gloved finger all of the people around him suddenly crashed into the floor with so much force that it left cracks in the street. They did not keep moving this time.

"Huh?" The maniac magus looked on in mild surprise. Not because his 'allies' had been taken out, but rather because… "Hahahaha! That's it! Those worthless shitstains aren't wasting our time anymore! Ya finally got it!" He clapped his hands (while still holding the gun). "Killin' a few ants isn't any trouble. Come at me then!"

"Sorry." Collingwood looked straight ahead with an emotionless expression. "Seems you were right about me." He apologized darkly. "I'm indeed a coward. Running away is the best way to survive, so I'll take that path." With those words he stepped towards the new Astral Gate that had appeared beside him. Caster had reacted exceptionally fast.

"You're not gettin' away!" Leroy shot a full magazine of bullets after Collingwood. The first few were blocked by barriers, but the rest ricocheted around him. Two hit him in the chest and three in the abdomen. One scratched his face.

But the bullet uselessly fell off his clothes.

"I wasn't afraid of your attacks. I'm a coward for trying to not involve these people after I tried to use them as a deterrent already." He explained with a stern expression. Several objects around him crumbled as if hit by something with high velocity…

"Ya think you can mock me, 'cuz you can survive some damn bullets?" Derickson looked really pissed off now. He raised his left hand that wasn't holding the gun. With a disgusting sound and brutal cracking noises it burst apart and started to become more monstrous. The fingers had turned into something claw like. On one glance they seemed to be sharp enough to cut through solid rock.

"You won't reach me." Collingwood turned to the Gate and stepped forward, but suddenly he felt incredibly heavy. His body was not reacting to his commands.

"What wazzat?!" Leroy growled and jumped forward. With this kind of strength he would reach Collingwood in one leap.

The hermit was unable to turn around even. His legs wouldn't move. He felt excessively sluggish. Even his perception was numbed. Derickson's words felt distant and slow…

"GAAARGH!" Leroy's roar reverberated through the street and he hit the pavement with full force.

Now Collingwood could suddenly move again. He turned back instinctively. Derickson was lying on all fours and his foot was deeply pushed into the road, to the point where it left a foot-sized indent. The sudden weight had hit him mid-jump, so he had hit the ground harshly. The needle that had penetrated his foot before was glowing green.

Just like the people crushed on the ground around him, Derickson was added to the link chain and had the weight of a nearby truck added to him. Collingwood noticed that the monstrous magus was still getting up though!

He hastily jumped through the portal and found himself atop the nearby rooftop.

"No time to look back." Caster immediately created another Gate with her Astral Cards and pushed Collingwood through it.

"YOU WILL DIE BY MY HAND!"

Even several streets away the yell of hatred could still be heard. Collingwood and Caster both looked back with grim expressions. This man was a lot more dangerous than Rézny in a completely different way.

"Is his Servant following us?"

"If he is, then he is beyond my perception." She replied carefully. For once she really did not seem on top of things. "I could not feel his presence once during the entire fight."

"Assassin?" Collingwood took a guess.

"It's possible, but I suspect he would have attacked you directly then. This is too roundabout."

"Those… psychotic people. That was the Servant's doing?" If not then Derickson was a damn good actor.

"They appeared possessed, but I cannot discern how. They were not affected by any type of curse or spell."

She had managed to analyze them that fast?

"We should take a detour to ascertain that we are not followed." Caster's frilly purple and black dress fluttered in the air as she jumped down the roof and created three copies of herself.

"…" Watching her act serious was driving home just how uncertain he himself acted. She was trying to pick up his slack. He felt pathetic.

* * *

Back at the café, shortly after the man calling himself Leroy Derickson had ran off to chase his escaping prey, a flicker went through the air and a boy appeared in the visible spectrum. His spiky brown hair was hanging down in sweaty strands.

"They didn't care about hurting bystanders at all." He clutched his fist and walked over to the bleeding and heavily injured civilians. They were all unconscious now, not at all acting in the scary manner from before.

Akira's eyes were filled with a dark fire.

'Lady' Ryouko had told them to simply observe and clean up, but this was not something he could just watch. While that callous woman was sitting in her mansion and not making any move at all, these people were suffering the consequences of the Grail War that she had started.

He felt the pulse of the woman that was in especially bad condition. She was still barely breathing. The police and ambulance were already on their way after he had undone the perception blocker around the area, but he still felt like he had done nothing to help here.

Isaac Collingwood, Leroy Derickson, Ryouko Tohsaka.

Those people were supposed to be worthy of the Grail? Then what was that terrible chalice truly worth?


	14. Interlude: Phantasm Corner (Part 1)

**Disclaimer: None of the events, words or actions in this mysterious reality reflects the real thoughts, ideals or intentions of the actual characters. The** _ **Phantasmal Maze**_ **is entirely beyond reason and exists for the sole purpose of entertainment/education.**

 **These are bonus chapters and will not affect the weekly release schedule. They appear irregularly.**

* * *

 **Phantasm Corner Part 1:**

Beyond the fringes of reality and logic we can find something that the human mind cannot, nay, does _not wish_ to comprehend. A place so confusing and illogical that it was declared a Phantasm of its own. The forces of the 4th wall hold no power here and the most basic story guidelines are thrown out the proverbial window.

This is the **Phantasmal Maze**. The ever-distant Advice Corner!

?: "Good, very gooooood. This is more like it!"

A mysterious figure approaches. Her dark smile penetrates the blackness of the dimension.

?: "I call dibs!"

And so the blinding light reshaped everything beyond recovery.

?: "Greetings boys and girls! You have found your way to a _special_ place. Welcome to my, the Great Sensei's, amazing Corner!"

Isao: "Where the hell am I…?"

He held his face as if he was in great pain. Probably due to the bump protruding from the back of his head.

?: "There you are Assistant #2!"

Isao: "….wait, are you referring to me? HUH? C-Caster? Is that you?"

He jerked back in surprise.

Caster: "Non non non! This is not your boring reality at all my former 'Master'. This is MY world. You may refer to me as Great Sensei… no _Great Great_ Sensei!"

Isao: "What are you talking abou-"

GG-sensei: "And why pray tell did they send me your scruffy chapter 1 version? This won't do at all."

She flicked her fingers and in an instant Isao changed. His beard was shaved, his hair cleaned and his outfit turned to… a black and blue track suit?

Isao: "Woah! Since when could you do stuff like tha- Are you wearing a _cricket_ outfit?!"

GG-sensei: "Indeed I am! Isn't it cute?"

Isao: "Now that I'm looking more closely… you have no protection or pads at all and the skirt is way too short. Aren't you afraid of getting yourself hurt by the ball?"

GG-sensei: "Who do you take me for? Sensei will never get hit. I am _doing_ the hitting."

She stroked a cricket club with a scary smile. Her black and white outfit looked charming, but completely unlike her usual eccentric stuff. The only thing reminiscing of her personal style was the long ribbon placed on her shirt.

GG-sensei: "I am surprised to see that you know so much about cricket though."

Isao: "I _did_ live in England for quite a while. Are we actually in a cricket field? But there are hedge mazes everywhere, as far as I can see."

He rubbed his head and took a look around.

GG-sensei: "Don't pay attention to the BG image too much and just listen to my every command Assistant #2!"

Isao: "Sorry, why am I your assistant again? And what happened to Assistant #1?"

GG-sensei: "She and the former sensei both ascended to heaven."

Isao: "What kind of job is this?! Why did they die!?"

GG-sensei: "The Onsen proved too powerful. Enough about the past, let's move forward dauntlessly!"

She pointed ahead epically with sparkling eyes.

Isao: "I probably should question literally everything that's going on right now, but I guess I'll just go along with this for no reason."

GG-sensei: "Super. Our job is to guide those lost souls trapped in the Phantasmal Maze with brilliant advice and fan-servicey goodness."

Isao: "So this place really is an actual maze too…"

GG-sensei: "There seem to be no lost lambs around today. In that case we will just have to poke the ever faithful assistant with burning needles."

Isao: "Please tell me that's a metaphor."

GG-sensei: "It is."

Isao: "Phew…"

GG-sensei: "But I am also going to stab you with actual hot needles if you keep acting defiant~"

Isao: "It doesn't sound like a joke when you smile like that!"

GG-sensei: "You seemed to enjoy penetrating that Executor with the fruity name a lot, so I wanted to return the favor. That's all."

Isao: "Phrasing! Also I didn't enjoy that one bit. Torture makes my stomach revolt."

GG-sensei: "So you are an M."

Isao: "How did you get to that conclusion so fast!?"

GG-sensei: "There are only two types of people in this world. Those that rule with force and those that are ruled by force."

Isao: "Did you just steal some charismatic king's famous words? How does that apply at all to sadism and masochism-"

GG-sensei: "Enough banter from you!"

She hit him across the head with the club (making him fly into some hedge) and then turned back to the camera(?) with a smile.

GG-sensei: "This Corner will supplement the readers with great insight on _that other world_ as well. Feel grateful, for today you get to learn secret information about none other than me, Great Great Sensei!"

Isao: "*muffled voice* …how about giving us your real name first?"

GG-sensei: "Ohoho, no spoilers of course!"

She laughed and then threw her cricket club into the hedge maze.

Isao: _"Ow!"_

GG-sensei: "This is the Phantasm Corner's very own Servant Status screen! How does it work? Did the creator of this franchise play too many videogames? What exactly is a range unit? Is that in square meters or what? How do we determine how many people an Anti-Castle Noble Phantasm can hit if it's an explosion that vaporizes undefined castles? Don't think about the details! Here you goooooo!"

* * *

 **Class:** Sensei

 **True Name:** Unknown

 **Age:** Don't ask

 **Alignment:** Chaotic Neutral

 **Ambition:** To be the only person to win the first Inning of a cricket match while laughing in ancient Babylonian.

 **History:** A legendary Sensei that received the baton from that overly excited tiger trapped in the body of a wannabe kendo champion. Although she has ample experience in giving advice, she never actually tries at all in this mad realm. Seems to like cricket for no particular reason.

* * *

GG-sensei: "And there you have it."

Isao: "I don't know what's more half-assed, that sheet or your devotion to the job."

GG-sensei: "Are you not satisfied?"

Isao: "You skipped the only parts people cared about!"

GG-sensei: "Are you that interested in my true age? Do not worry; it's completely legal to be infatuated with me. I guarantee it~"

She gave him a thumbs up.

Isao: "Who would care about whether you are a kid or a wrinkly old lady? I am talking about your true name, Noble Phantasm, legend etc."

He crossed his arms and sighed.

GG-sensei: "You are surprisingly into this Assistant #2."

Isao: "I collected soccer cards as a kid. It's really frustrating when they left out info because the player didn't want to share."

GG-sensei: "You are a strange little man."

She smiled wryly and then flicked her fingers again. A new sheet appeared.

GG-sensei: "No spoilers of course, so I am afraid Noble Phantasms are out of the question."

* * *

 **Class:** Caster

 **True Name:** -

 **Age:** -

 **Alignment:** Lawful Neutral.

 **Ambition:** To right a wrong from the past.

 **History:** -

 **Class Abilities:**

Territory Creation 

**Rank A** : Creation of a "Temple", which is superior to a "Workshop", becomes possible.

Item Construction 

**Rank D:** Allows the creation of lowly thaumaturgic items and ritual tools.

Caster's power to create enchanted objects is fake, but due to her Class she is at least allowed a rank of D.

 **Individual Skills:**

Charisma:

 **Rank D:** On this level the popularity has risen to true fame.

Caster's charisma is not based on her own actions. It has come to her and cannot be used consciously.

Shape shifting:

 **Rank A:** The power to take on the form of any other person. Grants not their abilities. Only living beings.

Witchcraft:

 **Rank C:** It includes methods to discern one's time of death and secret arts to obtain influence, such as methods to attain status and fortune (for men) and methods to gain the favor of influential individuals (for women).

Machinist:

 **Rank B:** The ability to understand and use modern and future technology. At this rank one can be called a technical expert. The basic understanding of science and logic are beyond average.

 **Notable Spells:**

Magic Missiles/Photon Bullets: Basic offensive spell, often spammed. Can be amplified with Astral Cards.

D Rank (C If Amplified)

Astral Gate: Caster's most effective utility spell. Using linked Astral Cards as a catalyst, Caster conjures a two-way wormhole with the cards as the corners of the openings.

B Rank

Astral Offset: The energy of attacks that go through the Astral Gate can be multiplied and thrown out the other end with this spell. Designed for counter-attacks.

B Rank

Magic Barrier: Basic Defensive spell, often spammed. Like the magic missile, this spell can also be strengthened with Astral Cards.

C Rank (B if Amplified)

Astral Stasis: Caster can stick her Astral Cards to the air in whatever position she desires and charge them with prana to explode in energy or turn into a barrier whenever she triggers them.

C Rank

Illusory Menagerie: Caster can conjure basic illusions. They do not stand the test of a closer inspection, even by normal people, but in the middle of action they can fool someone. Additionally she can create copies of herself, although without the ability to cast spells or shapeshift. All apparent spells cast by illusory doppelgangers are actually created by the original.

C Rank

Light shape solidification: An extremely weak, but multipurpose spell that materializes magic into shapes, like ropes, nets and anything else. It is fairly weak and powerless against almost any Servant, but can be used for other purposes.

E Rank

 **Noble Phantasms:** -

 **Servant Stats:**

 **Strength:** E

 **Endurance:** D

 **Agility:** A

 **Magic/Mana:** A+

 **Luck:** C

* * *

Isao: "To right a wrong from the past, huh…"

He looked at the sheet with a troubled expression.

GG-sensei: "Staying vague allows the author to change the contents later."

Isao: "Is that the actual reason?!"

GG-sensei: "Ehehe, never fear, that version of me has a good reason for what she is doing. Probably."

Isao: "I am losing faith in this operation. Anyway, so Lancer was right about you? You are actually a witch?"

GG-sensei: "Tsk. You foolish Assistant. Witchcraft is a skill that anybody can obtain. To be a witch you need other qualifications too!"

Isao: "Ah, sorry. I should really know that definitions are a sensitive subject. Many people still don't even understand the difference between a magus and a sorcerer after all."

GG-sensei: "For one I would have to wear a black hat, have a crooked nose and paint my skin in unhealthy colors. Do you really think I'd destroy my image like that?"

Isao: " _You_ are stereotyping witches the most!"

GG-sensei: "Every generalization has a grain of truth."

Isao: "Like the fact that Casters are physically weak? E is a pretty abysmal stat."

GG-sensei: "Want to have an arm wrestling match with this frail Caster then?"

Isao: "I am not stupid. Servants are ridiculously strong. I think not even a professional boxer could beat you in a straight up match. Especially with that high Agility stat. Is it that high because of your Astral Gates?"

GG-sensei: "Of course not. My flexible body and speed are all my very own. How else would I hit a ball that comes at the speed of light?"

Isao: "Just who is in the enemy team to have such a godly throw?"

GG-sensei: "Don't forget boys and girls, this sheet is still incomplete. Your favorite Caster still has a dozen magic tricks up her long sleeves that we don't want to spoil yet~!"

Isao: "You are like a Swiss army knife of magic. If only you would also be as quiet as one…"

GG-sensei: "Your _impudence stat_ is quite off the charts too, my cute Assistant."

Isao: "I was just k-kidding! You are really great and stuff… uh… Sensei."

He stuttered while flailing his arms and backing away from her. But Sensei did not care and rematerialized her club.

GG-sensei: "You better prepare yourself Assistant. I did not forget about that 'old and wrinkly' comment either."

Her beautiful face was the embodiment of evil. And then she smiled again. And again. And again…

Isao: "Y-you made that many copies of yourself?! I though they can't do anything?"

GG-sensei: "It said that they can't use _spells_. Unless you consider swinging and hitting an oddball repeatedly magical somehow, this won't be an issue~~"

The army of cricket bat strutting Casters slowly cornered him at one of the hedges.

Isao: "N-no… NOooooooo! GYAAAAH!"

GG-sensei: "Next time we will have our first real guest! Look forward to it."

Isao: " _Oh my god-_ OUCH- there is gonna be a next time?! Ow my leg!"

GG-sensei: "The title did say Part 1, you know?"

She chuckled and waved everyone a cheerful goodbye.

 _(To be continued)_


	15. Child of Summer

**And here is the actual chapter for this week.  
**

* * *

 **Child of Summer**

* * *

Saturdays were generally well liked among the students, as they were only half days for the school and allowed them to take it easier than usual. Even at Matsumae Academy this was a reason for a better atmosphere in the main hall and along the shoe racks. Girls were gossiping about something they saw on TV, guys were either complaining about being tired or some beef they had with an anonymous flamer online. Things were peaceful.

So why did Shigechiyo Sano find himself in a constant state of anxiety and paranoia? His short green hair was hanging low into his face and he kept up an almost creepily straight face at all times. He had hurried through the entrance and upstairs without even looking at anyone or caring for the raised brows around him.

It was stressful. It really was. His throat was tightening up every time he almost met eyes with another student. Where he would have managed to zone out completely before, he now found himself overly self-conscious. Anyone was suspicious. Everyone could be the hidden Master.

Rider-san had told him that he was safe for now, as he had no magic circuits and as such was not recognized as an enemy magus. Masters were not to act out during the day or in public places either. Additionally she would come to his aid the instant he called out to her. It had something to do with the cursed marks on his right hand. If Rider-san said so then he would believe it in a heartbeat, no matter how improbable it sounded.

Although he felt a bit of relief that she had not insisted on accompanying him to school if he was honest. He hated standing out already, but there was just no feasible explanation why he brought an adult foreigner with him. Natsu-san (or rather Natsunoe-sensei at school) already knew her too, so she had to act as his young aunt.

Shige clutched the odd pendant in his jacket pocket more tightly. It was his only source of protection as far as he was concerned right now. The power behind it was the real deal, how it was actually used effectively was another matter entirely. Rider-san had told him not to rely on it too much. At the very least he was not allowed to lose or break it, as it was the item providing her with her necessary prana apparently.

He got seated in the half-empty classroom and sighed. Focus. He had to focus on his objective! The Master at the school had not shown themselves during his nigh death experience two days ago. Rider-san had admitted that she might have judged the black knight wrong as far as the mind controlled trio went. Which meant that they were entirely unrelated. Then there were the mysterious seals that she had noticed. They seemed to form some sort of barrier, but it didn't do anything. Definitely not something that affected Servants anyway.

"What a mess…" He mumbled. It was on him to investigate those things and find the source of the barrier. If he found those he would either end up facing that Master or getting a hint as to how they worked. He wanted to help Rider-san in her battle for her wish, but his options were limited. Going by his last fight against those zombie guys he wasn't certain how he would fare against an actual Master. They used weird spells and magecraft that could burn him alive or make him commit suicide, right?

The classroom was starting to fill up, but Shige kept looking out the window deep in thought. Eventually Natsunoe-sensei came in to do her homeroom teacher duty. With one glance at her he could tell that she didn't act differently after finding out about his 'aunt'. She was composed as ever.

It would be hard to focus on studying in his situation, but maybe he could at least do the bare minimum…

"Exams. Do not forget them over the holiday, got it?" The curly haired teacher slammed a pile of papers on the desk and gave them a collective evaluation with her sharp eyes.

"Aw man… You are merciless sensei!" Ren lowered his head and adjusted his arm sling.

"For real. I just got outta the hospital and she goes ballistic on us." Keiji growled and leaned back in dissatisfaction. The compress on his head seemed to slowly slip off.

"Hm. These are the same sheets we filled out on Thursday. She is being merciful I would say." Amane shrugged with an ambiguous smile. The motion seemed to hurt his padded shoulder and back.

That trio was always arguing with the teachers. They sure had no inhibitions.

"…." Shige's eyes widened. The scene had played out so normally that he had blended it out for just a moment. But now he felt the cold sweat on his back stick to his shirt. He had to stop his hands from shaking. Slowly he turned to the right and fearfully took in the sight.

The trio that had attacked him two days ago… those twisted faces that seemed to enjoy hurting him… The grievous wounds they had received when Rider-san had flung them around like toys…

His breathing turned ragged. His heartbeat sped up. They were sitting there like nothing happened. They talked like nothing happened. The only sign of something being off were the remaining leftovers of their treatment. A broken arm, an injured spine, a cut artery… how were they… how were they moving around so casually?!

Keiji noticed him staring and made a cool sign with his hands to greet Shige.

"Why are you here?!" He couldn't contain his shock any longer and jumped up from his chair. He backed against the windowsill and pointed at them. "Y-you were…! You were all almost d-dead!"

The class was now entirely focused on Shige's erratic behavior. Natsunoe-san glared at him. The trio seemed taken aback, but then Ren waved his hands to calm him.

"You heard about that? We look totally lame, huh?" Ren rubbed his shaved head in embarrassment.

"They freaking exaggerated! We got into a fist fight with some hooligans at the stadium. Damn Oxen!" He kicked his bag in a fit of rage, which promptly made him jerk back in pain from his injured leg. The Blue Oxen was a rival team of the Matsumae Phoenix Claws. Their fans were even going to the enemy's home turf now it seemed.

"That's quite enough Nakamura-kun! I will not allow such expressions in my classroom."

"A fight… with baseball fans…?" Shige felt nauseous. What was going on? Where they hiding it? Playing pretend?!

"It was rather one-sided admittedly." Amane-kun sighed theatrically and put a hand to his cheek. "They were drunk and uncharacteristically aggressive. If Keiji-kun hadn't provoked them we might not be in such a sorry state though."

"D-don't blame me for this shit! They were gonna throw down first if I hadn't done it. It was a preemptive counter-strike!" He grimaced and crossed his arms.

"You can't _preemptively_ 'counter' things, right?" Ren squinted in annoyance.

"But… you don't remember? Y-you attacked me! You-" Shige pointed at them accusingly. He was panicking now. The way they looked at him was so genuinely confused. It couldn't be… had someone messed with their memories? Or was everything up until now a dream? Maybe they weren't involved at all?

"Enough! I will not repeat myself. The principal is aware of your violent incident and you will hear of the consequences soon enough. Next time you get into a tussle with some low life Blue Oxen, at least consider the school's image first." She huffed and cut the conversation short.

"'Low life'… woah, is Natsunoe actually a Claws fan too?!" Ren whispered to Keiji.

"No freaking way. She probably has no heart that the Phoenix could set on fire anyway!"

"Sano-kun, sit down already. You missed yesterday's news due to sickness, so it is not surprising that you picked up on some excessive rumors. You may interrogate them _after_ my class." Her eyes forced him back into his seat and the lesson continued like usual.

Only that Shige could not concentrate on the words being spoken one bit. Everything was numb in his mind.

* * *

"Sano, you got way too freaked out back there!" Ren patted him on the back with his healthy arm.

"!" Shige backed away.

"Seriously, what's the matter? Yer actin' like you saw a ghost." Keiji yawned.

"You said you were attacked as well Sano-kun? Is that why you were 'sick' yesterday? How daring of you to fool the school. It will be better for your record." Amane-kun chuckled and leaned against the door. He always seemed to be silently smiling at an unknown joke.

"It's not… like that." Shige rubbed his right hand nervously. He had pulled his sleeve far enough to cover the blue marks. Hopefully they wouldn't notice it this time.

"Isn't this great tho? Now Tateyama ain't got anything to complain about! We are injured, so we can't go to practice." Ren said with a sudden gust of cheer.

"You're super right!" Keiji pumped his fists after the realization.

"Then what will we do after we are back to from?" Amane-kun shook his head with a wry smile.

"We still haven't given up on ya Sano! We will make it worth your time- huh?" Keiji blinked a few times and looked around. "Where'd he go?"

* * *

Lunch break wasn't very long, but he would make us of it. Despite his initial shock he was now certain that the trio hadn't any clue what had happened. Someone had healed them up and tempered with their memory. Probably whoever supervised the Holy Grail War. In that case questioning them would also lead to a dead end.

For now he should focus on the mystery Master. Those seals that Rider-san had sensed must have been in inconspicuous places so nobody would notice them. He carefully stepped through the hallways and looked around corners, behind trashcans and the like. Of course he couldn't just enter other classrooms without arousing suspicion himself, so he put those off for after school.

"Where could they be hiding?" He wondered as he went through the school library. Only very few students would come here during lunch. When he inspected the shelves and pulled aside a few books he wondered what the seals even looked like. If they were magical then maybe they could even turn invisible…

"This is just unacceptable."

Shige's shoulders jerked up as he heard the librarian's loud complaint. For a second he had thought she addressed him, but in fact she was just talking to herself.

"I will talk to the teachers and student council about this. This is a place of education. Not some children's playground." She was basically spitting fire. In her hand she held as dozen slips of paper. They were rectangular and from this angle it looked like someone had scribbled on them with ink.

Shige tilted his head. He had never seen the librarian so annoyed even when somebody dared talk too loud or handed in a due book too late. The only time she blew up was when someone managed to tear a page a little or spilled their juice on the book cover.

Not that it really mattered why she was acting like a wounded dragon. He turned back to the shelves. From the corner of his eye he noticed something on the window. A rectangular stain. On touch it was quite sticky.

"Hey you!" This time she was definitely talking to him.

"Uh… y-yeah?" He gulped. How did he incite her wrath now?

"Did you glue these to the window?!" She barked.

"Huh? Glue what?" He replied confused.

"Those. You just touched the spot. The criminal always returns to the scene of the crime!" She pushed her index finger into his chest and then slapped the paper slips into his hands. "I will have you know this counts as vandalism! I won't allow such pranks in my domain."

"Excuse me; I don't have anything to do with this! I wasn't even here yesterday." He retorted reflexively.

"That's not good enough. I have been finding these since the middle of this week! You would even glue them below my very own desk and onto the books…. You deviant!" She was accusing him without hesitation.

"This is really just a misunderstanding…!" He had to work quite hard to convince her, but eventually she accepted his words. With reservation.

He hastily retreated from this dragon's lair and returned to his search. Only then did he notice that one of the prank stickers had gotten stuck to his sleeve. It wasn't all that strong adhesive, so pulling it off was no trouble at all. Inspecting the thing confirmed what he had seen on first glance. The drawing on it was done with ink and brush swings. It wasn't especially pretty, but he could tell someone put a lot of work into it. Way more than was necessary for a prank.

"This symbol looks weird." He recognized it. Definitely something he saw somewhere before. But it wasn't a normal Kanji. If he had to say it looked more like Chinese, even if a bit too rough.

He put the slip into his pocket and exited the hallway and went out to the yard. His legs took him to the tool shed almost automatically. This was the place where he summoned Rider-san. The place he had almost died in. There were no signs of his struggles to be found. In fact the door to the shed looked better than before. Probably replaced.

With some hesitation he entered the shed and checked out the interior. Things were neatly assembled, but he could not see anything he had broken when crushing into here before. He picked up one of the baseball bats that were hanging from the walls. This would be better than no protection at all he figured.

When looking out the window into the yard he noticed another of these paper slips stuck to it. That was going too far for a prank. Shige cupped his chin and frowned. If he found any more of these then he was convinced.

He scoured the school and indeed, there were more of those things all over. They were not even well hidden at all, sometimes hanging right in the open. The weirdest part was that they all had the exact same pattern and all of them drawn with great care.

"Don't tell me these are the seals?" His mouth twitched. It couldn't be. Did that enemy Master really do such a sloppy job? Impossible. Utterly inconceivable.

Shige had collected about two dozen of them by now and was staring at the pile in distress. Of course he hadn't been able to find any of the seals before. He was looking for _hidden_ things. These were hidden in plain sight, if one wanted to be pretentious about it. No way could they be the real deal.

The bell rang and snapped him out of his inner denial. It was time to go to the final subject for the day.

* * *

"So in light of the new curriculum and the abundance of interest, I have decided that right after the holiday we will go on a class trip." Tateyama-sensei declared with a raised finger. His light reflecting glasses were underlining the seriousness of this statement.

"Yeaaaaah!"

"Class trip? Right before exams?"

"Isn't this Natsunoe's job?"

"Where are we going?!"

"Calm down everyone." The lanky teacher raised his hands in surprise at the strong reaction. "I am your history teacher, so obviously we will go to a place that furthers our understanding of the subject." He nodded seriously.

"Like… an amusement par-?" Ren asked hopefully.

"No." The teacher shot him down faster than Ren could even finish his sentence. "We will go to the international heritage museum!" He declared as if he had just told them summer break had come early.

"…."

"Meh."

"Boooring."

"Why you ingrates! This is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons. The decision is final. I already talked to your homeroom teacher." He seemed displeased by their lackluster reaction.

"Seriously? He convinced Natsunoe-sensei all by himself?"

"Eh, it's not so bad. We get to escape this torture chamber for a whole day."

"It's like a three day weekend."

The mood turned around fast and now most of the class was agreeing that it was a good idea. Shigechiyo listened to it only half-heartedly. A trip to the museum wasn't his idea of fun either, but how could he care about that right now? He was so close to revealing the true identity of the Master at the school.

"The Norse culture exhibition is currently taking place there, so be very excited. This is a rarity for this city." Tateyama started drawing words on the chalkboard and went straight into a lecture. "The very foundation of Norse culture and religion is the idea of the world tree, Yggdrasill. It encompasses the entire cosmos as we know it and carries nine worlds. Our planet Earth is usually refered to as Midgard, the middle world. This is of course a gross oversimplification, but it is believed that…"

Shige watched him draw the tree on the chalkboard and noticed himself drawn into the lecture for once. Tateyama was right; this was different from the usual history lessons. They weren't talking about the Edo Period or the Meiji Restoration era for once. Maybe if he listened closely he could learn something about those Heroic Spirits' legends.

* * *

School had ended around noon already, as was common on Saturdays and now Shige finally had a chance to be useful to Rider-san. He had collected about four dozen of the seals by now. The only area where he had found none was the boy's locker-room in the gymnasium. Ergo this was where the Master would strike next.

He had taken the baseball bat with him and clutched it tightly. He was hiding inside one of the lockers, ready to strike at any moment or to quietly watch at least. It was uncomfortably limited space, but the few slits on top allowed him to watch the room intently. If someone were to walk in and find him like this he would never live down the shame though…

Time passed by like slowly trickling sand. After a while Shige felt his eyes closing involuntarily. He forced them to stay open. Even if the culprit wouldn't appear at all today, he owed it to Rider-san to stake it out until the school closed for the day. His mind wandered back to the blonde beauty and her serious expression when she sent him off. She was so clearly worried for his sake that it made him want to apologize.

Maybe she was cleaning his room right now… He hoped not. Sure, he had hidden the important things in the attic, but who knew when she would get there. She really didn't need to do housework for him. It made him feel like a slob. But she certainly was good at it... Rider-san must have been a good wife in her previous life.

"Stupid!" He banged his head against the door to smack the thought out of his head.

"Eh?" Another voice responded to his call.

Another. Voice.

Inside the locker-room.

They were here!

Shigechiyo grabbed the bat with both his hands and stopped his breathing. Had they noticed him? How did he miss them coming in? His stupid daydreaming had gotten him into another bad spot.

Beyond the locker door he could only see things from a limited angle. There was nothing to the left or right, but he couldn't see anything below a certain level. Maybe they were ducking down right after hearing him. He grinded his teeth and waited for something to happen as his heartbeat increaed.

Ba-dump. _Ba-dump_. **Ba-dump** …

"Eh? Did I imagine it?" A sweet voice echoed throughout the room.

A girl?

"Awawa… I should not be in here. I'm very sorry."

He could tell from her voice that she was somewhere around the entrance. Apparently she was hesitant to move further inside. Wasn't her voice awfully cute? She must have been younger than him.

"Y-yes, you are right. I need to move onward. This is for the sake of the students." She seemed to have convinced herself to continue. But who had she been talking too? He couldn't hear or sense anybody else in here. "Sorry for the intrusion!" She exclaimed and then the sound of tapping feet echoed inside the room.

Finally Shige could see something. The girl in question was rather short, probably one head shorter than him in fact. She must have been a first year.

But all that didn't matter. The thing that stuck out the most about her appearance was…

"A miko outfit?!" He blurted out.

"Wah!" She shrieked and jumped backwards. With her left hand she held up a piece of paper in a sort of defensive stance.

' _I messed up.'_ Shige scolded himself inwardly. But who could fault him? There was a first year running around in a shrine maiden outfit, inside the boys' locker-room of all things. This sounded like the start of a bad Light Novel plot.

"W-who's there? I am sorry for entering without knocking first." She apologized! Did she think someone was still changing in here?

Shige felt a certain sense of defeat. The bat in his hand was unbelievably heavy all of a sudden. How does one respond to such an encounter?

"…" He opened the locker and stepped out with a poker face.

"Eh? What? Inside?" The girl looked at him in confusion. Her ebony hair was straight slick as silk and reached down to her ears, but there were two ornamental braids spread over her shoulders. Her emerald eyes were full of curiosity and innocence.

Also she was wearing a miko outfit. That seemed to be worth mentioning repeatedly.

"You wouldn't happen to be the one who put these up everywhere?" He asked while avoiding eye-contact at all costs. In his hands he held the seals.

"Aha! So it was you who took them down!" She crossed her brows and puffed her cheeks. Was this real? "How could you do that? It was a lot of work to make them all in time."

"Sorry… no, why am I apologizing?" He rubbed his face. "Uhm, I don't know why you hang these up, but does that mean you are a… mage?" He asked doubtfully.

"A mage? I am afraid that's not true." She shook her head earnestly. "I am an onmyouji of the Yukimura shrine. My name is Koyuki Yukimura. Nice to meet you." She bowed her head politely.

"Likewise." He responded reflexively and lowered his head too. It seemed that he was already caught up in her pace. "Halt, stop, wait a minute." He raised his hand and broke the weird mood. "You are an onmyouji? Like the Shinto warrior monks that summon demons?" He asked with a mix of surprise and awe.

"Er… that description is not entirely wrong. It isn't very accurate though." She tried to not let him down too hard. Her preciousness was making him want to tear up.

Maybe his information of onmyouji came mostly from fiction and video-games, but he was sure that he had been pretty close to the truth. Not that these spirit hunters truly existed.

"Ah." He turned around and crossed his arms. He also didn't think magic existed until a few days ago. So did that mean she was telling the truth? "Y-you mean it? You really can exorcise spirits and stuff?" He gulped.

"Yes." She nodded seriously.

"Then… you really aren't cosplaying?"

"Cos… pulay?" She tilted her head without a clue.

These seals were the real deal. He could tell now. That girl could not be lying. At the very least she must have believed her own words. Whether she was delusional or not, he would have to accept the facts.

The question was: Could an onmyouji be a Master? No, if an average guy like him could do it, then there was no reason why she couldn't. A polite and well-mannered girl like her would probably answer him if he asked. But if he did she would know that he was involved somehow.

He glanced back nervously. Her green eyes were focusing on him too much. Why couldn't it have been an ugly guy instead?

"I implore you; please return those seals to me. My kuji-in are powerless on the spirits without them." She should have been demanding, but she formulated it as a request instead.

"Why did you hang these up anyway?" He dodged the issue for now.

"To create a barrier against evil spirits for the school." She replied with a proud smile.

"Is the school under attack?!"

"N-no… It is just a precaution." She replied with a slight blush on her cheeks.

So she was just doing it for the sake of doing it? Shige was about to turn away from this situation and go home. At the last moment he controlled his feet and forced them into place.

"Do these things even work?" He looked at the hand drawn symbols with glazed over eyes. Maybe this Koyuki girl was actually playing make-believe after all.

"They really do! I felt a bad aura in the area, so I was making sure that the students were safe." She explained hastily.

"How much good that did me…" He felt a bit insulted now. He had almost died in this school while she was acting as if she was protecting the place. "Didn't stop something from possessing those guys." He clicked his tongue and looked away.

"!?" Koyuki suddenly froze up. "You noticed these possessions too?" She asked with fiery eyes.

"Huh? S-sure. They almost got me." He scratched his cheek. The words had just slipped out.

"Then my mantras have not worked. In that case it must have been a Servant's doing." She concluded and folded a few of her paper seals in a strange form. "We need to investigate this as soon as possible. People could get hurt." The small shrine maiden was talking to someone, but it was certainly not Shigechiyo.

"You…" His eyes widened. There was no doubt about it anymore. She had just used the word 'Servant'. "You are a Master?"

"Yes. You as well, no?" She replied honestly.

"Damn it." He walked backwards and pulled the bat out of the locker. It seems he had been careless. A cute face was deceiving. She had revealed her true nature so readily, so she must have already prepared a trap or something. And she had figured out that he was a Master from the start!

"That is not necessary." Koyuki looked at him sadly. "We should not fight each other. The heroes should battle for the Grail." She declared.

"I would love to believe that." He smiled weakly. If he was swayed now she might backstab him… just like those guys did before…

Koyuki watched him with sympathy. Then she put the seals into her hakama and smiled.

"You haven't brought your Servant along so I know you did not come to fight either." Her trust in him was genuine.

He could barely take it. The only reason Rider-san was not with him was that she could not go into spirit form. She was probably itching for a fight already.

"I will not force you to do anything, but I would like to form an alliance instead of fighting each other. Your aura is gentle and we go to the same school. It must be fate."

Was it okay? Could he trust that smile?

His hand involuntarily let go of the bat. He couldn't attack this girl even if he wanted to.

"I give up. If you are devious enough to lie to me with that face I might as well fall for it." He sighed deeply and stretched out his hand. "I'm Shigechiyo Sano. It seems I am a Master in this madness as well."

Koyuki looked at his hand for a moment in surprise, but then she clasped it softly.

"It is my pleasure. I'm in your care, Sano-sama." She really was awfully formal. He now noticed her Kyoto accent.

"Shigechiyo is fine. Erm… Yukimura-san."

"I could never be so rude! T-then Sano-senpai."

The unlikely duo was awkward, but they could both feel that the other was goodhearted in nature.

"Ah, I forgot to ask Archer-dono if he agrees!" She suddenly clutched her white sleeves in shame.

Oh right. Rider-san might not be happy with this turn of events. Shige suddenly felt a reasonably massive fear of returning home.

"It is acceptable? What a relief." The strange miko spoke with nobody in particular again and then nodded happily.

"Is that some kind of onmyouji magic communication?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Eh? I was under the impression that all Masters could communicate with their Servants this way."

"That's the first I heard of this." His inadequacy had no bounds. Yet another question for the pile.

"T-then… ahaha… would it be fine if I met your Servant Sano-senpai?" She was weirdly excited all of a sudden.

"She's not around-" He hastily denied her to avoid something fatal, but…

"That's alright Shige. I have arrived." A stoic female voice penetrated the room.

It was a fully armored Rider-san, standing tall in the doorframe!

"I-it's not what it looks like! I didn't want to go behind you back-!" He immediately tried to apologize.

"Hmhm." She smiled ever so slightly. "I am pleased Shige. You have found a worthy comrade." Her silver eyes seemed to see through both of them at once, but soon returned to being a deep blue.

"A-a-a-h! A real hero!" Koyuki's eyes were basically sparkling. Her reverence was one part adorable and one part enviable.

"It appears that man's eyes have been on me since I arrived. You have watchful guardian, lass."

"Yes! Archer-dono is admirable and wise and…" She almost stumbled over her own words with all the praise.

"I wish to challenge him." She materialized her lance and stabbed it into the floor.

"Rider-san?!" Shige was shocked to say the least.

"He let me pass without question. I will not ally with an unworthy man. He might be observant, but without skill this will be meaningless. Should he be powerless, I will end his path right now." Although her words were harsh, she did not have any ill intent. Shigechiyo could tell.

"We accept." Koyuki folded her hands and bowed.

How had it come to this? He had made new allies, but might lose them just as soon. This was what it meant to be in a Holy Grail War, huh?


	16. General of Virtue

**I always try to incorporate foreign words in a way that explains them right after, but if there are any confusions, do not hesitate to PM me.**

* * *

 **General of Virtue**

* * *

The conditions had been laid out and the result was unavoidable. Rider was not going to budge from her position and Koyuki seemed eager to go along with her demands. Shigechiyo was uneasy about the whole thing, but he had no idea how to convince them otherwise, so he went along quietly.

Because it was still early evening and the daylight had not yet disappeared, it was impossible to have the fight outside. For that reason they had somehow ended up in a rather surprising place.

"The gym? Are you serious?" Shige looked dubiously at the building that he considered a personal hellscape. For someone who preferred not to stand out P.E. class was at the top of unpleasant situations. Although his part-time jobs and baseball practice had made him somewhat sturdy, he had lost drive and motivation to improve. Nothing was more appalling to a sports teacher than a student that had the ability, but was too lazy to use it.

"Oh my, I have not set foot in here yet." Koyuki's reaction was the exact opposite of his. She seemed to be mildly interested in the facility. At the very least she didn't consider it weird to hold a death battle in here, which made him worry for her common sense.

"If we break the equipment and floor around here…" He mumbled pessimistically.

"There will be no issue. Archer-dono and Rider-dono are true heroes! They have perfect control over their bodies and minds." The shrine maiden had a unique view on heroism. She added the suffix 'dono' to their names like it was natural. It was so old-fashioned that it bordered on parody to a normal teenager's ears, but she spoke with true conviction. To her heroes must have been something incredibly special.

"I'm not too sure about that." He replied while scratching his cheek. Last time he saw Rider-san use her power there was some serious damage to the school grounds. Hm? Wasn't that odd? The school looked perfectly normal last time he checked. That reminded him of something. "Isn't there this, uh, overseer? If we contact them, they might be able to help." He suggested with renewed hope.

"You are talking about Mac… Macu… Makuniil-san?" She stumbled over her own tongue in an agonizingly cute way.

Shige had no idea who this weirdly named stranger was supposed to be. Apparently his name was really hard to pronounce though. If he was one of those overseers and Koyuki knew his name, then maybe she had already contacted him. She looked in the direction of the large windows above.

"He will be informed whenever a Servant duel takes place. But he will only arrive after everything is over. Auntie said he is a nice man." She added with a smile.

"I-is that so?" He had no idea what her aunt had to do with this. But now that they were here in the gymnasium and the polished floor was being scratched by the metallic boots of a legendary warrior woman, he really had no reason to think about such trivialities. As long as the damage wasn't traced back to him he couldn't care less what happened to the gym.

Shige walked over to the blue-clad lance wielding Servant and coughed nervously. Her attention didn't stray from the back entrance even as she opened her ears to him.

"N-not that I don't appreciate it, but why did you come here Rider-san?" He asked with his eyes lowered to the ground.

"You were not returning. It was my duty to make sure you were not in danger." She replied stoically.

He felt strangely relieved hearing that. Maybe it was presumptuous to think that she was worried for him, but in his mind he would treat it that way anyhow.

"Yukimura-san, I mean that girl over there…. She said something about telepathy between us?" It ended up sounding like a question somehow.

"The bond between Master and Servant grants many advantages. Due to my unfortunate disposition we are barred from some of them." Her long blonde hair swayed as she averted her head in something like dignified regret. "I have no spirit form or telepathy to speak of, but I will show you my strength in the most direct way that I can." She nodded and then slammed the butt of her lance on the floor.

Shige gulped and backed away. It was not her fault that things were so weird, it was probably his. He wasn't a normal Master as far as he had understood her explanations and that was now dragging her down with him. The guilt he felt all of a sudden was staggering. She put up a brave front, but would it really be okay? If she had forced herself to challenge this 'Archer' guy for that reason…

"Archer-dono has arrived." Koyuki suddenly called out.

The spot that Rider had been staring at for this entire time was suddenly manifesting into a shape. Like magic dust it assembled into the form of a tall man with long limbs and wide shoulders. Indeed, he had the appearance of a strong man, but his facial features were soft and refined. The small black goatee at his chin was sharp and well kept. His clothes seemed to be a mix of red robes and leathery black armor. They spoke of certain elegance, but mixed with the pragmatism of a soldier.

In a way he was the opposite of the flashy and fantastic looking Rider in her glowing blue armor covered in strange symbols. This Servant had no extreme features of that kind. His dark brown hair was tied back in a traditional looking bun, letting not even a single strand wave about. Only his complexion was slightly tanned, but in the way of a man that had gradually been weathered by the sun rather than darkened all at once.

This man had no weapon on him as far as Shige could see. His posture was straight and calm to an eerie degree. Now that he had materialized so suddenly, it felt like the entire gym was filled with tension. Rider looked directly at her opponent.

"Greetings Servant of mounted combat." The man spoke in a serene voice. His words were not mocking despite the intelligent look he gave her.

"Well met." Rider replied curtly.

"You wish to challenge me to gauge my worth for our combined cause?" He inquired politely.

"That is so." She affirmed his words with an impatient look. "But you knew so already. I have noticed your watchful eyes on my back as I entered this academy."

"It is my duty to watch out for enemies to assure Koyuki-sama's peaceful days may continue." He replied with a thin smile.

"Koyuki-sama?" Shige looked baffled. So that Archer guy didn't call her 'Master' either, but more importantly he was really respectful! Was this cute girl a really big deal actually?

"Yes?" She reacted naturally to that call! Then again, she did try to call him the same way when they introduced themselves.

"Ah. Is it… is it really okay to let them go at it?" He hastily came up with something to talk about.

"You are a real worrywart Sano-senpai, are you not?" She seemed amused.

He couldn't really deny it though. His worries were manifold, but mostly directed at the scene right ahead.

"I think that is a very important trait to have." Koyuki said seriously. "You are absolutely right that we need to be safe about this. I will make sure that no stray person will accidentally end up getting hurt." The underclassman raised one of the paper seals from her hakama and straightened it. " **Sora**!"

Her shout made Shige flinch, but what really took him by surprise was the transformation the paper went through. The mantras drawn upon it were swirling around and then formed patterns resembling eyes and wings. Soon after the shape of the paper itself adjusted to the ink lines. Like a perfect origami the seal had turned into a paper bird. It stretched its wings and grabbed onto Koyuki's raised arm.

The object was imbued with life. It's inkblot eyes were awaiting the shrine maiden's commands.

"Please keep watch over the entrance. Warn us of any visitors." She whispered into the paper bird's nonexistent ears and its head twisted in acknowledgment. Then it actually flew off and disappeared through the window.

"Is that Onmyoudo too?" He asked perplexed.

"Yes. Sora is a Shikigami I made. I used a wind-spirit as a base, but she is not very fond of strong gusts or storms." She tilted her head and looked after her familiar lovingly.

Shige suppressed his instinct to shake his head at the speed of a formula one car's tire. These things he had thought were just cool concepts in a game were coming out of that cute girl's mouth like they were common sense. If he hadn't seen the Shikigami come to life he might never have believed her in a hundred years. Even after acknowledging it as reality he was unable to accept it completely.

Spiritual power, Onmyouji and evil spirits existed? Rider-san called herself a spirit, but she was too real… too _physical_ for it to sink in.

Yes, what could he do but join this madness like it was normal as well? Instead of questioning the mechanics of magic, he instead returned to the original topic.

"We want to work together, so fighting like this seems just wrong." He said with a wry smile.

"Do you think Rider-dono is wrong?"

"…no." He shook his head. If anything he trusted her with all his heart already. But that was what made him so uneasy. The trust he felt was irrational at best. A world so different from his would swallow his reason whole and spit it out completely unrecognizable.

The conversation between the Servants was less amicable.

"Eagle-eyed or not, I shall not allow a weakling to pity me." Her eyes turned a silver hue.

"It was not my intention to hurt your pride." Archer bowed his head. It was the height of respect and yet it seemed to have the opposite effect.

"I can see through it all. The vices of men, the falsehoods of crooked women. Dark intentions clressed in sweet words. I will decide who is worthy and who is not." Her body tensed up.

"…" Archer looked up with a glint in his eyes. He seemed to have realized something, which made his aura turn more serious. "The worth of a man lies in his virtues. Do your eyes discern these qualities so easily?"

"Indeed." She twisted her lips and seemed to be in a sort of trance for a moment. Then her eyes returned to their original deep blue. "I see. You are not deceiving me." Her words lost some of their edge.

Archer stroked his goatee and watched her with curiosity. Then he replied calmly.

"You possess Mystic Eyes, a rare gift even among heroes. I feel honored to be judged by your clairvoyance." His words may have appeared humble, but in truth they were just a clever display of his discerning ability.

"My vision is absolute. You are a man that has the potential to be worthy, but I sense something uncanny. Your fate has led you on a painful path. Yet beyond it is nothing but emptiness." Her words were confounding, but so was Archer's reaction.

He chuckled.

"Inner peace will appear empty to a world filled with turmoil."

"Wise words." Although she clearly had her own thoughts about that philosophy she ended the conversation and readied her long three tipped lance. "We will see if your inner peace can last throughout a true battle."

"So be it." Archer stretched his arm to the side and opened his hand. With a distortion of space a weapon materialized inside it.

"Wait what?" Shige gasped in confusion. Not because of the magical summoning of weapons, he was used to that part, but instead due to its shape. 'Archer' as a class was made of marksmen if he translated the word directly. Yet what the refined Servant was holding was…

A pole staff.

"You dare mock me?" Rider glared at him coldly.

"It is foolishness to use a ranged weapon in a confined space." 'Archer' replied as he went into a fighting stance with the pole behind his back and the left palm extended forward.

The gym was really spacious, but the hero's experienced words rang true nonetheless. For beings so far above human limits, this was no more than a small ring to a sumo wrestler. If he shot haphazardly inside here things could turn out ugly.

"I will not spare you because of such a self-imposed disadvantage." She too pointed her lance forward with both hands.

' _Where is her shield?_ ' Shige wondered internally. Rider-san had used a shield when he saw her fight the black knight.

The atmosphere changed rapidly. Tension was too weak to describe it. Like a bowstring that was pushed to the limits of its strain, the two opponents were ready to shoot forward. They were searching each other for openings every single second, but their guards were impeccable. This staring contest would well have continued on without end if Rider had not made the first move.

She dashed forward and went for a straight impaling motion. The lance was aimed for Archer's heart. The red-clad Servant waited until the last second before spinning his entire body around, so that the long end of the pole hit the incoming lance and used its momentum against itself to alter its course. Rider's immense strength made the difference only about a hair's breadth.

Right after spinning out of the way, Archer flipped the staff downward and hit Rider in the back. Her armor was deflecting the blow easily, but she did slide back a few centimeters. That was how heavy the swing was.

Twisting her feet, she swung her lance in a perfect circle and clashed with the man's staff at full force. They were pushed away from each other, but the follow-up was relentless. Although Archer seemed to be cornered over and over, he always found a new way to escape the deadly tips of Rider's lance.

Finally she swung downwards so hard that the pole staff creaked under the force and pushed him down. His well toned arms were not giving in an inch, but the weapon threatened to crack. The wood was inferior to the metal in the end.

"Haaaah!" Rider cried out and then kicked Archer's side with her metallic boots. He would have been unable to dodge while still resisting her lance's push, so he did the only thing left to him.

He let go of his weapon. Rider was now pushing against no force at all and shot forward. The red-clad Servant circled around her aimless motion and then extended his hand ahead. Inside it was something other than the pole staff. A double-bladed short sword.

"!" She ducked under the well aimed slash and felt her blue helmet receive a scratch. The sword was swifter than the pole staff even and much faster than Rider's lance. She had to back away hastily to avoid falling to his unpredictable swordsmanship.

Archer pursued immediately, not giving her a chance to regain her momentum. It was obvious why. A short-sword was so inferior in range to her long lance that he could not afford to slow down. He kept her at _his_ distance.

Just as he was about to cut her she blocked the sword with her gauntlet! The swing had been precise, but not powerful. The blade only sunk halfway into the metal and did not penetrate. Rider smiled victoriously and stabbed forward.

Archer tensed up and shielded his lungs with his free arm.

Which was now holding a curved shield.

"Again?" She grit her teeth as her attack clanked against the robust shield fruitlessly and she then twisted her arm to break the short-sword. It was a trained move, but just as she had created the force to break it off, Archer let go of it and jumped back.

His right hand was now holding a mace. With mace and shield he put one leg forward and rebalanced himself.

"Are you truly an Archer?" Rider asked with a displeased expression. She had now disarmed the enemy twice, but the results were unimpressive.

"To master one weapon does not necessitate neglecting all others." He replied with another modest smile.

"Such foolishness would spell the end for an average warrior." She appeared to be taking him seriously now. Of course she did not underestimate her enemies, but this time she was facing a true prodigy. His skill with different arms was impressive already, making one cautious of what his skill with a bow would be like.

"My grandpa always said a jack of all trades is a master of none. What the hell is that goatee's deal?" Shige commented from the side-lines, next to the unreasonably excited looking Koyuki.

"Archer-dono is so... so dauntless!" Her eyes were jumping back and forth between the Servants. "Rider-dono is a force of nature. And so beautiful!"

Shige felt ashamed for agreeing with her on that last part.

"It seems those weapons are not your Noble Phantasms." Rider surmised. They had been worn down a bit too easily. "But if you wish to continue this farce I shall be the one to force you to give it your all!" Over her left arm an ornate shield materialized. It was the same one she had used against Lancer.

Both of them were now able to attack and defend. Although Archer's shield was much bigger than hers, Rider was giving off the more impenetrable aura. Yet she did not stay on the defensive. Just like at the start of their clash, she made the first move. Her impatience was backed up by skill at least.

Archer raised his shield to block the incoming attack, but Rider seemed to vanish and then appeared behind him. To move so fast with that heavy armor seemed impossible, but then they wouldn't be heroes if such things mattered.

The lance was cutting through fabric, but Archer had not even flinched. He bashed his shield against her lance and threw it back. It crashed into a pommel horse that had not been cleaned up after the last lesson. It burst apart from the impact and toppled over.

His follow up strike with the mace was faster than expected from such a heavy weapon, but Rider was also able to deflect it just as fast. Her shield was not even pushed back by the sparking mace and instead she pushed forward. The many symbols on the shield seemed to be winding about like snakes and were hypnotizing to the eye. Rider repeatedly hit her shield against Archer's mace and regained the advantage.

In a flurry of strikes from both lance and shield she eventually cracked Archer's own shield and then rammed her helmet covered head against it with full force. Unlike the rest of his weapons, he could not let go of the shield so easily, so he was thrown back alongside it.

"This is it!" She stabbed her lance ahead with all her might and burst through the failing defenses. The mace was raised, but uselessly flung out of his loose hand. As the shield crumbled, Archer was left without means of fighting back. Before he could summon yet another weapon, Rider's lance went in a purple-blue arc and cut him in half.

At least that is what should have happened.

Instead she was left in utter shock. The composed man had bent in a superhumanly flexible way and avoided the blade around his gut. Then he had twisted his arm upward and pushed the lance aside fluently like the icy rivers of the northlands. His motions were so precise that he did barely even touch the metal. With the same motion he hit Rider's unprotected inner side of the gauntlet and made her loosen her grip on the weapon. Although she would never let go so easily, she felt a stinging pain from the hand strike.

Twisting her lips in pain she tried to tackle him away, but he flipped back and used her force against her. He had somehow landed behind her and then rammed his elbow into her back with an impact that actually created a wave of compressed air!

The armor persevered, but the vibrations going through Rider's body were painful. Archer was not done yet, as he lowered his entire body until his legs were almost doing the splits, before sweeping the blonde woman off her feet and then sending her flying into the storage room at the other end of the gym hall by the well aimed hit of his punch to her chest plate.

The crash was noisy and not even half the equipment inside survived the impact.

Archer breathed in deeply and pushed his palms together to rebalance himself.

Rider kicked away a balance bar and rose unsteadily to her feet. As ineffectual as unarmed blows were to her protective armor, she could not deny the internal damage she felt. When he had seemed cornered, this man had instead become a beast baring its fangs. She could only assume that it had been a feint.

Archer stretched both arms aside as if to welcome another of her attacks. Two differently sized axes appeared inside his hands. His arms collection was not exhausted yet.

"Enough of this!" The rage in her eyes was fierce. Even the elegance of the red-clad Servant would have to make way for pragmatic aggression. Rider would crush anything that was not aimed to kill.

Her first stab was enough to impale the wall next to Archer and make it crumble into bricks and dust. He swung his axes in a spinning pattern, but she just blocked the dozen cuts with her shield. The next moment Archer was disarmed completely and unable to dodge in any direction. His eyes were squinted ever so slightly as he tried to disarm her with hand-to-hand combat again, but she stabbed the lance into the floor so that it left a huge indent and then used the pole to jump above Archer. Her wild fighting style was hard to counter as she kept pushing him around with ferocity alone.

His newly equipped single-edged sword was broken to pieces between the glowing shield and the barbs of the trident like lance's head. Each blow was reducing his options to crumbling scraps.

Rider did not use any Noble Phantasm, just like Archer held back as well. The difference in their dominant and defensive positions lied solely in the quality of their gear. Even if she knew so, Rider could not bring herself to stop. Something burning had awakened inside her. The fighting spirit of old was unquenchable and this tall, swift man was giving her an outlet for her rage.

Archer had lost his laid back movements a while ago, but when it came down to the wire, he was not giving it his all. Although the fight was only putting his reflexes to the limit, he did not seem to wish to end it either.

This was a battle between warriors which honed their skill and battle prowess for all their lives. This was what they had been summoned for!

The gym had long since turned into a decrepit place of broken walls, splintered wood and rubble. Nothing was reminiscent of what it had looked like before. Among this destruction only the two uninvolved Masters were still unhurt.

Shigechiyo was trembling and had backed against a wall, while Koyuki's sparkling eyes were not giving away any kind of trepidation.

"Archer-dono, please use your bow already if you would accept my humble request!" The shrine maiden somehow managed to make a polite request sound demanding. Or was it the other way around?

"That won't be necessary Koyuki-sama. The battle has been decided." Archer replied with a lowered head.

"What are you scheming?" Rider wiped some dirt and blood from her cheek and held her lance ready for another long arced slash.

"There is no need for schemes among allies." He replied with a somber smile. "Your ferocious spirit reminded me of my youth. My deepest apologies for inciting you so."

"….heh." Rider smirked. A truly pleased smirk at that. Against all expectations she dematerialized her weapon and shield and nodded. The rage from before had dissipated alongside them it seemed. "You have a way of forcing your point in an enraging manner, but I thank you for this fight."

"I had expected no less from a shield maiden of the West. Each blow felt like the swing of a giant."

"Those mesmerizing movements are just as in the stories of the East I heard long ago. A martial artist of your caliber has never been on the battlefields I ventured."

They grabbed each other's hands and shook them firmly in the Western style. Then they bowed their heads to each other in the way of the East.

"W-what just happened?!" Shige was utterly confused.

"Their hearts connected through battle." Koyuki explained profoundly.

He didn't get it.

"It is prudent to rest after a sparring match. Is that acceptable Koyuki-sama?" Archer had not been injured badly, but he knew what he was talking about. Rider was covered in bruises all over and despite her fiery attitude; she required some time to recollect her calm.

"I agree completely." Koyuki nodded. "Sano-senpai, would you like to visit my home?"

" _Y-your home!_ " The mere idea of visiting a girl's room - no even just her home - was outrageous to him. He felt his heartbeat increase.

"It is a bit far, but auntie should be preparing dinner right now."

"R-right you live with your aunt." He sighed in a mix of relief and disappointment.

"Shige, your thoughts are plain to see on your face." Rider closed one eye and looked at him judgingly. The iris didn't even need to turn silver to see the truth of this high-school boy's hormone controlled mind.

"So where do you live? Jinya? Hitobiki?" He changed the topic in desperation.

"Ahaha, I am not too familiar with the districts yet. My home is right in the center of the city though."

"The center? So around Inugami Forest?"

* * *

They stood in front of a long staircase winding up the small mountain (it was more akin to a really big hill). The red Torii gate was welcoming them in its splendor. At the end of those steps was only one thing.

"You live at the Yukimura shriiiiiine?!" Shigechiyo's eyes were as big as platters.

"I wonder why everyone reacts like that." Koyuki titled her head.

On second thought it all made sense. Miko outfit, her last name was Yukimura and she had spiritual powers. The hints had all been there for the taking. But it was so weird to Shige. He had gone to this shrine on New Years before and even met some of the staff there. To think Koyuki had been living here all this time…

"I feel an odd presence in this place." Rider-san said ominously. She was wearing her less attention grabbing beige leather garments. Now she just looked like someone from a medieval fair instead of a full-blown cosplayer.

Actually the sooner they went inside the better.

There must have been at least two hundred steps if not more, as the exhausted Shige realized by the end of the climb. The shrine was impressive enough to warrant the trip though. Its splendor could almost rival one of the smaller shrines in Kyoto.

"I will keep a lookout, if you do not mind." Archer was in spirit form and spoke to them invisibly.

"Thank you Archer-dono." Koyuki replied politely and led the other two into the building. The hallways were polished, so they had to change into sandals. At the end of the main hallway was a sliding door that was slightly open. Koyuki pulled it aside and took a glance inside. The room was relatively barren, except for a rolled up futon and a small doll on a shelf.

"Is this a guest room?" Shige spoke his thoughts aloud.

"This is my room actually." Koyuki patted the tatami mats and then pulled a few pillows from the closet.

"Huh? This empty place?"

"I am sorry if it is unpleasant. I just settled in a few days ago and it has been a busy transition." For some reason she apologized to them. In the same wake she already pulled up a tea pot and started heating it.

"I didn't mean it l-like _that_." He averted his eyes awkwardly. "Wait, 'a few days ago'? Then you didn't live here until this week?"

"My true home is in Kyoto." The brunette girl elaborated quietly and set up some earthen cups. " _Haha-ue_ would be very angry with me if she knew I was here." Her words were strained. There was a hint of guilt permeating them.

Shige sat down next to Rider who did seem uncomfortable on the pillow.

He had never heard anybody refer to their mother in such an overly respectful way. 'Haha-ue' might as well have meant that she revered her mother like the Empress herself. She must have meant the world to her.

"Then why did you come here at all? Because of the Grail War?" He inquired hesitantly. Prying into her personal business might have been a bad idea.

Koyuki served the tea to both of them and knelt down in front of the low table as well. Her cute face was unusually distant.

"I came to Matsumae to search for Nii-san."

"Your brother? Did he go missing?" He took a sip of the tea and almost burned his tongue. It might have been divine retribution for being insensitive. Rider gulped it all down in one go and just made a disgusted expression.

"We are not sure…" Koyuki looked downcast. "He was the one who should have participated in the Holy Grail War originally."


	17. The Priestess

**The Priestess**

* * *

The ways of Onmyoudo were old and cryptic even among its faithful followers. The art of summoning and exorcising spirits was ancient and used even in the most primitive animist cultures. Yet what separated the Onmyouji from such basic shamans and spirit whisperers was their roots in Shintoist, Buddhist and Taoist faith. They were born from ancient Chinese and Japanese culture, with the distinct mission to exterminate evil, protect the country and spread the glory of their faith.

Albeit the head priests and priestesses would deny it, in its most basic form, Onmyoudo was just magecraft. Channeling prana to turn mantras and wishes into reality was the essence of it all, but over the centuries they had drastically lost their magi roots. Even the all important religious aspect had weakened with the turn of the 20th century and the few remaining Onmyouji were far from devout.

Pragmatism, duty and status had long since replaced Buddha and the Shitennō as the foundation of their clans.

An age of regression had gripped the most powerful Yukimura clan as well. Their family had the strongest spiritual power among all Onmyouji across Japan, so their decline was the hardest blow to the organization. Had they not acted as the Emperor's personal guards and protectors of the Three National Treasures, they might very well have faded away alongside their brethren in the annals of history.

Then a fortuitous star shone above the birth of a chosen one. The man who was meant to return prosperity to his clan and the other clans alike. His name was _Torado Yukimura_. His skill and inherent talent stunned even the elderly council and made him the new hope of his generation. While he had performed miracles since an early age and grown his reputation as a summoner, he was also a free spirit that could not be tamed.

The head of the clan, an old man with little patience, had long since given up on Torado to succeed the clan and instead arranged a marriage for him with a woman that they had better control over. Yukina Yukimura was her name after the marriage had successfully ended. She was a proper priestess with little interest in the world, but a tremendous faith.

From their union were born two children. The first was a boy, brimming with the same potential as his father. His name was _Toranosuke_ , taking the kanji of his father's name. Only two years later a second child was born, this time a girl. Her name was Koyuki, named after her mother, but unlike the first born she had no signs of great potential at first.

Disinterested in the clan's politics and scheming, Torado left for long journeys, years at a time. He had never loved his wife Yukina beyond a familial bond.

Left behind inside the Yukimura temple in Kyoto the children were raised with the pure and sole intent to succeed the clan and bring glory to them once again.

* * *

Koyuki sat on the wooden porch with a thoughtful mien. Her eyes had been focused on the patterns of the Zen garden for hours by now. The tea inside the earthen cup next to her had turned long since cold.

Worries had plagued her for weeks at end and she could barely pull herself out of her reverie when someone approached from the terrace hallway.

"Koyuki-sama, what a pleasure to meet you here." A serene voice echoed through the hallway and yard. It belonged to a man in blue and white traditional clothes who seemed to have his eyes closed at all times.

"Aoki-dono!" Koyuki fidgeted around in surprise and forced herself to get up to greet him with a bowed head.

"Why, there is no need to bow your head before a mere attendant." He said with mild surprise. "Please sit down and continue your meditation."

"Ah… I'm sorry, I wasn't actually… meditating." She said with a downcast expression.

Aoki looked at her for a few seconds, before finally releasing an amicable sigh and settling down on the porch as well. His elegant seating position was the result of countless hours of meetings and meditation sessions. From his giant sleeves he pulled a tangerine and secretly handed it to Koyuki.

"Eh? B-but I am not allowed to eat before the next meal time…" Her eyes went wide, but she went silent when she saw Aoki's conspiratorial expression. He put one finger to his lips to tell her not to say any more.

"As a lowly servant of your exalted mother I have little to offer, but if you would confide in me, I would be most honored." He said in a strangely loud voice. Quiet sounds of crunching and hustling could be heard from somewhere in the back.

Koyuki tilted her head in confusion while holding the tangerine like some prized possession.

"Hmhm. Now that we are undisturbed, let us talk freely." He smiled meaningfully.

"O-oh." She nodded slowly. The constant supervision of the other attendants had become second nature to her, so she felt oddly excited by the proposition.

"Are your worries related to your studies?"

"That's not it." She shook her head. For some reason she could not bring herself to peel the tangerine either.

"I see." He cupped his chin and seemed to consider how to approach the situation without appearing insensitive.

"Mother said that I have improved." Koyuki revealed with a weak smile. "But I am nowhere near Chichi-ue or Nii-san's skill."

"Comparing yourself to your father or brother will never lead to the improvement you seek. They are simply different from us. They were _chosen_." Aoki replied matter of factly and adjusted the long hat that was threatening to fall of his hair bun as the winds picked up.

"Chosen…" Koyuki clutched the tangerine tightly.

"…perhaps that was out of line. As the daughter of Yukimura, you indeed have the same potential as Toranosuke-sama. Your latent ability has been displayed before." He complimented her calmly.

"That's not true at all." She looked up with a clouded expression. "I just wish I could help people the same way Nii-san does."

"Absolutely admirable. Your mother should be proud." Aoki replied evenly.

"Aoki-dono, please… I can't talk about this to anyone else… you know where Nii-san went… d-do you not?" Her voice was wavering. It took an immense amount of courage to speak up about it.

"…" The priest's eyes were perpetually closed, but the way he squinted told her that he was actually retreating inside mentally.

"M-my apologies! I shouldn't have-!"

"That is quite alright." Aoki replied with a raised hand. "Toranosuke-sama has been gone for half a year already. If you, as his sister, were not worried, I would have thought less of you." His words were carefully picked. "The head priestess has not spoken to you about this matter?"

"No… She scolded me for asking and told me to refocus my studies." She touched the white hair band that tied up her short right braid as if to hold on for support.

"Your mother has to weigh the interests of the clan in every word she speaks and every move she makes. Do forgive her." Aoki nodded sternly. "If only the exalted head would return to Kyoto soon."

Koyuki's father had been on another journey for almost four years now. Last she had heard, he had taken care of a vicious evil spirit in Kyushu that had been responsible for thirteen unexplained murders.

The head priestess was taking care of things here with great effort and she never seemed to miss her husband in the slightest. It was impertinent of Koyuki to even think so, but she felt that he mother was happier without him around. If she had been someone that ever showed happiness in the first place.

"I… I am a burden to her." Koyuki admitted. "That is why she won't tell me, isn't it?"

"I implore you not to make such a disheartening face Koyuki-sama. It is unbefitting of your beauty." Aoki sounded truly sympathetic.

Koyuki felt strange hearing him say so. They were far apart in age, so she could not possible believe he had an interest in her in that way.

Apparently he misinterpreted her downturned face and silence as further depression, so he acted more boldly. With a fast motion of his hands he placed several small paper seals around the porch. Their low glow faded immediately.

"What did you-?"

"A simple precaution." He kept up his fixed smile while talking. "Now we will not be overheard by any familiars." Koyuki hastily turned her head to look for any Shikigami. "Do not look for them. We must act composed to not further draw suspicion."

Koyuki's eyes widened, but she hastily nodded and stiffened up.

"What I am about to tell you is strictly secret even among the higher echelons." He began his explanation heavily. "Have you ever heard of the _Holy Grail War_?"

She quietly shook her head.

"As expected. Your mother would not involve you into such a grand ritual unless absolutely necessary." He exhaled. "Your brother, Toranosuke-sama, has been chosen as a _Master_ – that is a summoner – of this very Holy Grail War." The willow in the garden rustled as if to underline the ominous words.

"Summoner?"

"Yes, although not of Shikigami or the like. It is a battle among Heroic Spirits, heroes made flesh in our modern age."

"Heroes?!" Koyuki looked at Aoki with barely contained awe.

"Yes, legendary warriors. Such rituals have been taking place across the world in secret for millennia. One year ago we received information from our spies that a new Grail War is being set up in Matsumae, a commercial town south of Kyoto."

"Matsumae? _That_ is where Nii-san went?" She urged him to continue. She knew that town's name from somewhere.

"Please remain calm. The council had made the decision to ignore the ritual as was our usual modus operandi." Aoki crossed his arms and sounded somewhat displeased all of a sudden.

"Why do they wish to stay out of it?"

"To be frank, this is a war between mages. The Clocktower has no interest in us and we have long since treated them with the same disregard."

 _Clocktower_. Koyuki's ears perked up at that word. It was something she had heard only few times before. Her brother had in fact talked about them before! An organization for magic practitioners or something. Koyuki did not understand what magic really was and thought it to be a fairy tale.

"Our isolationist policy has led to our decline, but of course those old men will never-" His voice become dangerously low, but then he suddenly loosened his face and caught himself. "Ah, but that is unimportant to your situation."

She felt that she had seen a glimpse of something bigger just now, but Aoki-dono was clearly embarrassed for his slip-up, so she didn't inquire further.

"Then why… did Nii-san become a Ma… Mastah?" Koyuki's English was less than pitiful. She had never been able to master foreign words at all, despite being adept at chanting page long mantras without a single slip of the tongue.

"The Command Seals, marks of a participant, appeared on his hand one day. Suddenly the council's attitude changed. They were interested to see where this venture could take them. Of course there was nobody more promising than Toranosuke-sama as our representative." His smile twisted a little. Perhaps he felt unhappy with the elders' change of heart?

"If that's true then has Nii-san been fighting this entire time?" Koyuki got worried.

"That is not it either. He has left half a year ago to get familiar with the battlegrounds, but the Grail War only begins next week." Aoki hid his own thought quite well behind those closed eyes. He was being considerate towards her for sure…

"Then we need to find out what happened!" She leaned closer to Aoki like she was trying to cling to him.

"I'm afraid we can't act on our own. That would be irresponsible. I am certain the head priestess already sent someone to investigate." He shook his head softly and got up from the porch. "Please forget this conversation. All I wished to do was to ease your worries." He excused himself and dispelled the barrier around them.

Koyuki was left hanging with even more confused emotions. The tangerine fell out of her hand.

* * *

Inside the temple the air was cool and dusty. Candles were lit inside the dark study hall. The windows were all covered in cloth and blocked out the outside light. This kind of cave like atmosphere increased ones senses and facilitated meditation.

Koyuki knelt in place for a while already and kept her hands clasped together with her fingers intertwined in specific shapes. The paper in front of her was pure white. A single drop of sweat always threatened to fall down her nose, but she kept it from falling by sheer willpower alone. When a single gust went through the room and created flickers in the countless candles she finally raised her right hand with the brush and then went down on the paper.

With extreme strokes she recreated the symbol that she had memorized so many times. Afterwards she spoke an old mudra and infused the seal with her spiritual power. The process was completed as the ink started to glow red for a blink and then returned to pure black.

Koyuki almost exhaled in relief, but the steps of her instructor kept her tense. She had not even heard the opening of the door, but the gust had warned her. Sora was a real dear.

"Is your work finished Koyuki?" The voice of the head priestess was low, but sharp. It demanded respect just with the slightest of nuances.

"Yes… mother." She nodded, but didn't dare look up.

"Is that so?" Filigree fingers picked up the seal. It was no doubt inspected intently by her eyes. Her breathing was showing off her emotions in the silent room. There was a rhythmic sound coming from Koyuki's chest… her heart was pumping under stress. "Mediocre." Her mother tossed her work back in front of her knees and then clicked her tongue. "You pass, although barely."

Koyuki bit her lip. She felt joyous to have made it, but also horrible for disappointing her mother yet again.

"I apologize."

"An apology will not benefit either of us. You have to prove your devotion with actions soon." The head priestess's tapping feet signaled that she was about to leave again.

"Is it because… Nii-san has not returned?"

"Pardon?" Her steps came to a hold and her voice became more cautious.

"Nii-san has been gone for so long. Why won't you tell me where he went?" Koyuki's polite speech slipped for a moment of frustration, but she regretted it immediately.

"Foolish girl! Do not overestimate your worth to the clan. You do not require any knowledge of that kind." Her glare was able to burn Koyuki's back.

"I am sorry head priestess. My words were unbecoming of my standing." Koyuki lowered her head even more.

"My son is out on important business." She unexpectedly continued. "Do not dare presume yourself a fitting replacement…" Her words were cut off as she shut the door behind her.

The room was left all to Koyuki again. She had to suppress her tears. Her mother was in a position of responsibility, but her words were always very harsh. She loved her so much, but didn't dare express those feelings. That was the kind of bond they shared.

There was something that increased the anxious feelings of her heart.

Her mother had sounded uncertain. _Afraid_.

* * *

It was late at night, the moon was already at its zenith. The Yukimura temple was spacious and very close to the Imperial castle, but from behind its walls the world was still small and barren.

Koyuki slipped through the hallways and tiptoed beyond the pond to the adjacent building. The attendants and staff resided here. Even without a candle the young girl managed to see well in the dark thanks to the spirit lines. A strong concentration of spiritual energy was at the center of the sleeping quarters. That was her goal.

Her subtle knocks might not have woken the deeper of sleepers, but for the man in this room even a tiny sound was enough to spring into action. He opened the door just a small gap and looked down on her.

"Koyuki-sama, should you not be deep in slumber at this spiritual hour?" Aoki said with a neutral smile.

"I'm sorry. There is something I need to discuss while we are alone." She looked back fearfully for any pursuers.

"Then come on in." Aoki nodded and slid the door open far enough for her to slip inside.

After setting up around a low table they were both looking at each other in silence for a while. Aoki didn't seem to have any interest in starting up a conversation. So he left it all in her hands, huh?

"It's about the thing we discussed this afternoon." She whispered.

"I had an inkling." He made a wry face.

"Even if I will be facing mother's wrath… even if it is against the elder's wishes…." Koyuki clasped her legs below the hakama and steeled herself.

"You wish to search for your brother." Aoki finished her thought.

"Eh?"

"My, it was written on your face." He sighed deeply. "I understand your sentiments, I truly do, but do you know how much danger you would put yourself through? That land is under foreign control and will soon be the arena for much bloodshed." His words were scary, but he did not try to scare her too much.

"But the same goes for Nii-san!"

"Would you suggest entering this Holy Grail War yourself? You must be joking." He said surprised.

Koyuki turned quiet at once. She had not even thought of that possibility at all. Aoki-dono's slip-up had given her a great idea.

"Yes! If I participate I will certainly run into Nii-san! And if we work together we can win this Grail War much easier." If they fulfilled the elder's desires then she might not be punished either. It suddenly all clicked into place!

"Hm." Aoki cupped his chin and showed his worry openly. "I doubt the head priestess will sanction such a mission. You are the only one who can act as the clan's head should anything happen to her." He implored her to think this through.

Koyuki shook her head softly.

"Mother does not need me. I am not good enough to lead the clan anyway." Despite the cruel reality she felt like smiling. Somehow admitting so was lifting a weight from her shoulders.

"…" The seasoned Onmyouji folded his brows, but ultimately nodded. "If that is your greatest wish, then I will assist you however I can. That too is my duty as the attendant to the Yukimura family."

"Thank you so much. Your support is very reassuring." She felt overflowing gratitude for his loyalty.

"In that case we first need to come up with a believable story as to why you will leave the main temple." He raised his index finger like a teacher.

"Uhm. Y-yes. I was thinking about that too." She got flustered the moment they began the scheming.

"Were you aware that the Yukimura clan owns a shrine in Matsumae?" He asked her with a thin smile.

So that was why she remembered the name of the town so well! She nodded heartily.

"It's where auntie lives."

"Yes. Yukimura-san of Matsumae is quite influential in the area, even if she lives on the land of another. Of course she is not taught in the ways of Onmyoudo, so she has no information on this world." He explained carefully, trying not to sound disrespectful towards Koyuki's aunt.

"I wanted to visit her since forever." She got excited. Her aunt was a great woman, but she only came to the occasional clan meeting every few months, so they rarely got a chance to meet.

"Splendid. But even if we were to contact her, the council will not allow you to move there. It is a dangerous zone, that will be off-limits for outsiders."

One step forward, two steps back. What could they possibly do?

"There is a way. When was the last time you left the temple?"

"That was… for the excursion into the mountains. To cleanse my spirit and make a contract with Sora." She remembered it vividly. It was the only time she had ever been allowed to leave Kyoto.

"I have contacts to that branch of the clan. My family has been serving there for decades. If I have a conversation with them about the circumstances, they will receive you with all honors and let you practice your arts for as long as you need."

"But why would I go to the mountains?" She titled her head.

Aoki fell silent for a moment, but then recovered with some effort.

"Of course you will never arrive there. The elders and your exalted mother will simply receive word _that you did_ from my kin." His explanation was a tad impatient.

"Ooh. So I will travel to Matsumae instead while everyone thinks I am at the mountain branch." She clapped her hands in comprehension. "That is very clever Aoki-dono."

"I simply thought of your best interest and it came to me as if a gift received from the spirits." He chuckled.

"If I tell auntie about everything she will definitely help me." Koyuki was now brimming with hope.

"…it would be unwise to inform Yukimura-san." Aoki coughed. "She is unawares of this world, but she still keeps contact with the main branch. If you did not mention your reasons and participation in the Grail War you would have a better chance of wrapping this up quietly."

His reasoning was sound. Koyuki was glad that she had such an intelligent ally.

"True. I am sure auntie will know something about Nii-san though."

"Possibly. I will pray that she does." He lowered his head.

* * *

The plan went off surprisingly well. After bringing up the idea of resuming her mountain training for the sake of improvement, the council was acting conflicted, but the head priestess was on Koyuki's side in the matter. It seemed like she was all too happy to have Koyuki leave the place sooner than later.

With all the preparations her trip was planned for Wednesday of the next week. Exactly one day before the start of the Grail War. Those news were a bit concerning for their plan, but according to Aoki-dono's research the summoning process was not lengthy unlike some rituals among Onmyouji.

The night before she would travel to Matsumae she felt restless. The nervousness was eating her up inside. Eventually she could not sleep at all and left her futon to get some fresh air outside. She had haphazardly dressed herself with her shrine maiden outfit and stumbled across the porch with half-closed eyes.

That is when she suddenly heard a loud banging in the distance! Muffled voices were echoing throughout the garden and the streets. Instinctively she summoned Sora to investigate. The paper bird soared across the sky and transferred her vision to Koyuki. The commotion came from the royal castle.

"Where did that thief run off to?!" One of the guards shouted towards his comrades. They were all equipped with guns.

"He must have slipped past us. Search the rooftops!" Their leader instructed.

"An intruder? A thief?" Koyuki's heart began to pound in excitement. Someone actually intended to steal from the royal family, right under the eyes of all these people? Such a daring crime! It reminded her of the stories she had read as a child. Of proud gentleman thieves and upstanding heroes of justice that took them down.

Without thinking twice she hurried towards the gates and slipped over the wall. The uproar in the adjacent palace had caught everyone's attention, so nobody noticed her leaving. The streets of Kyoto were quiet at night, but well lit. She made it over to the palace in less than five minutes. The sound of gunfire made her freeze up for a moment, but then she kept going.

The small groups of security guards that were combing down the hallways and garden were not paying much attention to her. Onmyouji were part of the security staff since the founding of this very castle.

She expanded her aura and senses for anything that would stand out. She could feel several fellow priests and priestesses spread out all over the building. But one stood out the most.

"Aoki-dono?" She was surprised to feel his aura among them. So he had reacted just as fast her. It was weird that he was among the security staff, but they would probably need every man. All the more reason for her to come to their aid! She readied her seals inside her hands. She had brought them along inside her pockets, but it was merely a coincidence. Aside from Sora she did never keep any tools for Kuji-in on hand.

The Zen garden of the small temple next to the castle was in uproar, but just as Koyuki passed through, the guards were running into the opposite direction. At the end of the damaged pillars she noticed a familiar silhouette.

The man walked forward as if he followed something. She did the same and eventually saw Aoki-dono with his back to her. He was mustering the empty area in front of him. His Shikigami, Kiba, was sitting there completely still.

"There you are!" She called out to him, which made him turn her way immediately.

"Koyuki-sama."

"Aoki-dono! I heard there was an evildoer inside the temple grounds and I came running as fast as I could!" She caught her breath after all the running.

"Indeed. Someone has laid their hands upon the national treasures." Aoki nodded carefully. "We have things under control here. You should return to the head priestess now Koyuki-sama." His words were polite, but firm.

"But!" She raised her hands in front of her chest and looked up to him with passionate eyes. "We may have a chance to capture a real villain." After all their secret scheming, the prospect of fighting alongside heroes and now this… Koyuki felt like she was dreaming.

"Be that as it may, you should not involve yourself with lowly thieves. Your destiny lies elsewhere." He rejected her formally.

"Aoki-dono… I understand." She lowered her head sadly. But she did not continue her objections. His advice was always correct and tomorrow she would be leaving this place already.

"Let me escort you back inside." He lightly touched her by the shoulder and they walked out of the gardens. Once they had left the palace and moved back to the Yukimura temple he scolded her lightly.

"Did the thief really steal one of the national treasures?" Koyuki could still barely believe it.

"It brings shame upon the clan's name to admit this, but we were indeed bereft of the mirror." He did not even dare speak its true name in the guilt he felt.

"They will be caught, right?"

"That remains to be seen. You are indeed lucky to leave tomorrow. The arguments will be fierce." He did look slightly exhausted.

Koyuki wondered just what kind of villain would steal the treasures. They must have had incredible devotion or greed. The historical value alone was enough to make this an unforgivable act.

"It will be nigh impossible to sell. Such an object will garner attention. So unless they wish to hang it above their chimney, we will soon know who had the guts for such a vile act." Aoki explained and then stopped in front of Koyuki's room. "Sleep well Koyuki-sama. Tomorrow you will be starting on your secret mission."

She really liked the sound of those words.

"Ah, in case we have no private moment before you leave." He put one hand into his chest pocket and then pulled out a finely drawn Shikigami seal. "I wish to lend you the strength of my familiar, Kiba."

"...!" Koyuki gasped.

"He is a loyal dog spirit. You will find no complaint with his abilities either."

"C-can I really ask this of you?"

"But you never had to ask. This is my selfish present to you." He pushed the golden paper into her soft hands and nodded solemnly.

"I am grateful." She was moved. The warmth of the seal was spreading through her hands and reached her heart.

* * *

The next day she was escorted to the gates and looked back towards her home one last time.

For just the blink of an eye she could have sworn that her mother's face was at the window of the second floor, but then her shadow vanished. She would not come down for a goodbye. Koyuki accepted her distanced attitude as a sign that she was not worried about her success. It was a formality to her.

The attendants and priests kept escorting her all the way to the train station. Normally she would have been traveling with four of them, but once they reached the train platform a familiar face interrupted their parade.

"I will take it from here." Aoki said with an amicable smile.

"Sir?" One of the guards raised a brow.

"I am the most familiar with the mountain path. The head priestess has ordered me to accompany Koyuki-sama up to the temple and then return to give report." For such an outrageous lie he seemed extremely composed. It was very cool in Koyuki's eyes.

None of the four seemed to feel up to questioning these words. Even doubting a single syllable of the head priestess was a huge affront. As they left, Aoki visibly released his tension. It didn't seem to have been there until he relaxed.

"The rest is up to you." He said with a destiny laden voice.

"Thank you for everything! I will absolutely return with Nii-san and pay you back for all you have done!" She bowed so deeply that her hands could have touched her sandals.

["Please enter the train headed for Osaka. Train for Osaka-"]

The electric voice repeated the train's imminent departure.

The young shrine maiden waved with all her might after dragging her luggage into the bullet train and smiled determinedly.

Aoki slipped his hands into his sleeves and watched her as she sped off inside the train.

A rather unsettling smirk played across his lips as he ever so slightly opened his emotionless eyes.

"Farewell Yukimura's last heiress."


	18. Alliance

**This time there is no secrecy, just straight up reveals.  
**

 **Or is there?**

* * *

 **Alliance**

* * *

The Yukimura shrine in Matsumae was different from the one Koyuki had lived in all her life. It was humble in comparison, but she could feel a positive aura from the place. The confining walls of her home were nowhere to be seen. This temple was free to visit for anyone who needed it. A haven for those pure of heart and no evil spirits anywhere close. It was a miracle, as there seemed to be no seals placed anywhere as far as Koyuki could tell.

"It is beautiful." Koyuki said with shining eyes as she inspected the yard and ancient trees around her. They covered the entire small mountain the temple was build atop of and gave it a secluded sanctuary like atmosphere. Yet one could see the entire city spread out beyond the crowns.

She dragged her luggage behind without trouble. Despite her petite appearance she was pretty fit. Her aunt was supposed to receive her at the train station, but something came up and she instead walked here on her own. It was quite the experience.

"Oi, isn't that her? Hey Yukimura-san! She's here!" A girl wearing a shrine maiden outfit quite similar to Koyuki's was lazily looking up from her broom (which she wasn't moving very enthusiastically) and immediately fell into a panic as soon as she saw the new arrival.

"What's with yer yapping Yuna? I've gotta repair this dang donation box-" The girl had run up to the praying area where the bells and donation box were placed. Standing in front of it with a determined expression and a hammer in her left hand was a middle-aged woman with tied up ebony hair. As she spoke she was aiming her hammer at a crooked nail as if to break it out of the splintering wood.

"Seriously Yukimura-san, you're going to make it worse if you keep hitting it like that." The girl named Yuna sighed and took the hammer out of the woman's hand. "I said your niece is gawking at us right over there." She pointed at the patiently waiting Koyuki.

"Why didn'cha say so?!" The woman turned away from her repair work and faced her niece with a big grin. "Yuki-chan! Has been forever since I saw ya tiny face 'round here." She came walking over with huge steps. She was wearing a rather revealing white shirt and blue cargo pants. She seemed to have an Osaka accent or some derivative of one, making her seem even more gaudy.

"I have never been here before auntie." Koyuki said with a giggle and embraced her aunt with open arms.

"Oh yeah. Slipped my mind, suppose." She returned the hug deftly and even pulled Koyuki up from the ground. "Let yer auntie take a good ol' look. I reckon you must've turned 16 already!"

"Yes. My birthday was on the 3rd of March." She nodded happily.

"Ah, how'd I forget? Hinamatsuri an' all." She slapped her own forehead and smiled apologetically. Then she sat her down with one arm. She was really strong.

"It is alright. I know you are very busy with your work auntie." Koyuki wasn't affected at all.

"C'mon munchkin, we gotta settle you in first and then's straight to school for ya." She picked up the luggage easily and carried it into the hallway. "Here Yuna, catch this." She threw a bag at the surprised shrine maiden and kept walking.

"Geez, Yukimura-san! Handle a girl's luggage with more care." She held on to the bag as if it was filled with precious gems and then nodded Koyuki to follow them. "Sorry about her rough behavior. She gets really loose when there is no big event around the corner. She will be back to form around the summer festival." Yuna appeared down to earth. She was not holding back around her employer, but she also didn't seem to be rebellious. Her hair was tied up in the traditional buns, but her hair accessories were definitely not part of the standard shrine maiden uniform.

"I like how energetic auntie is." Koyuki always anticipated her visits after all.

"She could at least wear something more proper, even if it's slow right now. What if we get a visitor?" Yuna sighed again with a wry smile.

"Do you wish to become a priestess too?"

"Ah, not really. This is just a part-time job. I actually study at University right now." She waved her hand in denial.

"I see. Study is important to better ourselves." Koyuki repeated one of the teachings engraved into her soul from the long training she received.

"R-right. Though I just want to get a well paying job." Yuna laughed dryly and stopped right before crashing into her boss.

"Here ya go. This is my old maiden room. Got a real nostalgic flair, don'cha think?" She waved them into a rather sparse guest room. But apparently it had once belonged to her. The windows were small, but there was a door that lead outside into the rather wildly grown garden at the back of the temple.

"It is idyllic." Koyuki said honestly and looked it over curiously.

"Aw, don't need to be polite or anythin', this place's a dump. Might've been a storage room once." Yukimura-san laughed and slapped Koyuki on the back.

"Your jokes are as ridiculous as always." Yuna commented from the back.

"'course I won't cage you in this place! Not even my dear sister yonder would be that cruel." She joked. Her impression of Koyuki's mother was favorable, but she knew how overzealous she could be.

"And now you are insulting the head priestess. Do you have no shame?" Yuna let her head sink.

"Smile, girl, smile! Youth ain't long enough to keep frownin'. You'll get wrinkles soon enough."

"Hearing that from an ever-young looking old lady makes it even more infuriating." Yuna popped a vein on her temple in anger.

"I like it." Koyuki declared and settled down on the tatami mats.

"Eh?"

"Wha-?"

The two stopped their quarreling and returned their focus on Koyuki in disbelief. Yuna shook her head dubiously.

"You don't have to listen to anything she says. We have much better rooms upstairs."

"This place has a gentle aura. I would like to stay here." Koyuki closed her eyes and seemed to take in the echoes of things beyond this world.

"Hahahaha!" Yukimura-san started laughing heartily and held her stomach. Then she sat down cross-legged next to her niece and nodded. "Well said. Then this'll be your home startin' today."

"Unbelievable." Yuna shrugged and sat the bag down. "I will go back to sweeping the yard if you don't mind."

"Keep pushing that dirt in circles girl!" Yukimura-san snickered. "She's a nice lass, but got no drive at all I tell ya. Doesn't want to break a nail."

"Yuna-sama." Koyuki memorized her name. "I hope we will get along."

"She's only around in the mornings and on Sundays, so you won't be seein' each other much I reckon." She leaned against the old-school wardrobe and put a hand on Koyuki's head. The small girl stiffened up in surprise. "I was gonna pick you up in a jiffy, but that box wouln't budge."

"Are you receiving a lot of donations?"

"Not as much this time o' year, but we get by. Still better than McNeil-san from the Christian community downtown though. Came by to observe some big event apparently, but got stuck holdin' sermons for the handful of true believers 'round here." She showed a tiny bit of schadenfreude at this McNeil's situation. From one religious figure to another. "Also Sis probably lives worse than me, knowin' her love for asceticism." She moved her hazel eyes to the left and watched the trees outside shake in the morning wind. "I still feel like she's standin' right over there, tryna grab the stars out of the dang sky."

"Mother did that?" Koyuki was amazed.

"Yup. She never got 'em though." She grinned.

Koyuki felt a strange tightness in her chest. Hearing of her mother before she became the head priestess was exciting, but also sad somehow. This had been her home for many years. To live here now might bring them closer spiritually speaking.

But the reason she came here was not to reminisce.

"Auntie, did Nii-san come here half a year ago?" She asked hesitantly.

"Tora-kun?" She cupped her chin with one hand. "That boy's too earnest to leave Kyoto behind for long." It seemed she knew him pretty well. "He was here a while ago, now that ya mention it. Poor thing, was real nervous about his job."

"Job?" Her ears perked up.

"Yeah, somethin' about exorcising evil around town. Wasn't too clear 'bout anything. Y'know how boys that age are. All gloomy and serious." She patted Koyuki when she looked on in confusion. "Puberty's rough. But he seemed ta have a real good reason to hang around. Yukina even called me beforehand to tell not to stop him." Her mouth turned downwards.

"A-ah, it sounds like it was important indeed." Koyuki clutched her hands. So her brother had really come to Matsumae for the Grail War. But then what? "Did he not say where he would go perhaps?"

"Sorry." She shook her head. "He stayed one night and then left already. But if ya have ta ask, that means he didn't come home since then." She had realized it fast.

"Yes… Nii-san's mission is not over yet."

"I bet. Don't let it get to ya. He's a nice boy, but still plenty clever. Nobody's gonna dupe him. Just like your old man."

"Father has not returned either."

"One of his little world tours, eh?"

"B-but I was told he has taken care of something big in Kyushu." She tried to cheer up.

"I wonder what he's always doin' all over the place." She exhaled. It was easy to forget that she was not in on Onmyouji business and lived a normal life.

"He is… protecting people." Koyuki felt a profound sense of pride rise inside her heart.

"Hehe, last time I checked, he's the one causin' trouble." She snickered and then got up. "Nice chat, but ya gotta hurry. School's already starting."

"Oh. I forgot to ask, but what do you mean by school?"

"Hm? Don'cha think a girl your age's gotta get an education? Home-schooling is great for a while, but ya can't learn _everythin'_ from books."

Koyuki had no clue what she meant.

* * *

"It was pretty sudden, so we didn't get you a uniform yet." The balding teacher apologized to Koyuki and handed her a few papers. The principal was out today, so only this grey old-timer was available.

"I thank you for your hard work." Koyuki bowed her head as she received the student ID.

"My, how polite. Reminds me of my own school days. Not like today, where the kids run around in skimpy clothes and play with their cell-phones all day..."

If she didn't leave soon he would really get into his ravings. Koyuki was listening intently though. He seemed to appreciate her politeness.

"That's quite enough. If you lend this man an ear he will certainly chew it off." A young teacher with curly chestnut hair suddenly came in and interrupted the monologue. She had a strict appearance, but right now she was trying to save her student from a boring fate.

"Natsunoe-sensei… Your youth is blinding you as well."

"Isn't it _your_ eyesight that's failing you?" She didn't even give him a spare look and took Koyuki's hand. She dragged her into the halls. "I will introduce you to the class, even though it's not mine. That Takeuchi-sensei had to go on pregnancy leave now of all times." Although she took her job seriously, she was not beyond complaining.

"Thank you very much for taking time out of your schedule." Koyuki followed along without complaint.

"This is my job. Anyway, did you not have any other clothes than that?" She eyed her shrine-maiden outfit with a mix of disbelief and resignation.

"Whenever I was taught at the temple I was ordered to wear it." She explained.

"Temple-school? Talk about old-fashioned." Natsunoe seemed to have a hard time believing her. Before she could make any more snide remarks they reached the year 1 classrooms already. "Please keep your introduction brief and don't cause a stir. You can chat with the other students during recess." With that she boldly threw open the door and entered ahead of her.

Koyuki followed with a light spring in her step and glanced at the gathered classmates. They were a mixed bunch with very different expressions and looks, but they all had a similar reaction to her entrance. Surprise.

"Hey hey, is she wearing a miko outfit?"

"This must be a dream…"

"She's totally cute!"

The chattering was promptly ended by a single glare from Natsunoe-sensei. Without any delay she introduced Koyuki and then ordered her to sit down near the backdoor seat. The one next to her was still empty as well. Now that she sat at the back of the class the others had a hard time staring at her.

Of course Koyuki had no materials at all, so she was made to share with the girls around her. They were all close to bursting, but suppressed their curiosity until the lesson was over. Koyuki was surprised by the manner they were taught things in here. She was used to self-study and examinations.

The nanosecond Natsunoe left the classroom all of the hungry beasts jumped to devour the shrine maiden.

"Where are you from?!"

"Why are you wearing that?"

"You are soooo cute!"

Koyuki was understandably pushed into a corner and unable to reply to the wave of questions. The girls were all over her and the boys were not far behind.

"Honestly, what is wrong with all of you?" Suddenly a lethargic voice cut through the crowd and stopped the interrogations. The girl which had spoken up was sitting in the front row and was pretty much the only one who hadn't jumped Koyuki at the first chance.

"SakiSaki has awoken from her eternal slumber!"

"Kyaaa, she is glaring~"

"Don't be mad!"

The squealing girls were acting as if this 'SakiSaki' was a scary person, but they were also smiling.

"Look, I've been up all night, the least I can expect is some quiet during recess…" The girl in front yawned audibly.

"You say that, but isn't that your own fault?" A short-haired girl replied with squinted eyes.

"Koyuki-chan… Do you mind if we call you Yuki?" One girl with two dark-brown pigtails whispered into her ear.

"Uhm… I think that would be alright." Koyuki replied uncertainly. Only her aunt had been calling her so informally until now.

"Aaaaah, why are you so cute?! I want to pinch those cheeks~" She tried to hug Koyuki, but another girl pulled her back by the collar.

"Forgive Maki, she was dropped on her head a lot as a kid." The new girl was really tall and had long braided black bangs. "My name is Natsuki. Nice to meet you." She nodded politely.

"Eh? Are you copying her?" Maki pouted as she hang in the tight grip of Natsuki's hand.

"Do you come from Kyoto perhaps?"

"Yes!" Koyuki nodded. "How could you tell?"

"The accent I guess." Natsuki rubbed her cheek.

"Pipe down…!" The girl in front complained again.

"Wow. SakiSaki is completely done with everything today." Maki chuckled.

"I heard that." The girl that was nicknamed SakiSaki finally had enough and got up from her seat. She walked over while rubbing her eyes. She had dark rings under them. The rectangular thin glasses she was wearing only enhanced that effect. Her blonde hair was tied back in one long ponytail that reached down to her back. If she hadn't been so grumpy she would have been a true beauty.

In fact Koyuki still though she was pretty right now.

"So you're the new kid." The blonde girl said while checking her out.

"My name is Koyuki Yukimura!" She immediately introduced herself in response.

"Yeah, I heard that already." Saki rubbed her head in a disinterested fashion.

"Waaaaaiit a sec. Yuki's got two Yukis!" Maki realized.

"What now?" Natsuki closed her eyes in exhaustion.

"Ko _yuki_ _Yuki_ mura! She is the same as SakiSaki!"

"First of all stop calling me that, secondly, that doesn't make us alike at all." Saki interjected brutally.

"Ehm… w-what is your true name Saki-sama?" Koyuki asked shyly.

"Drop the 'sama' crap. I'm not that important." Saki flicked Koyuki's forehead with her fingers. "Name's Sakiko Murasaki. Different characters entirely by the way." She proceeded to flick Maki's face as well.

"Ouchie!"

"Saki's kind of the queen of our class. So you better don't make her angry." Natsuki said teasingly. Or was she serious?

"If you don't stop it I won't spare your forehead either." Sakiko raised her index finger threateningly.

"See?"

"Ehehe." Koyuki giggled.

Sakiko was taken aback and lowered her finger in shame. Apparently she was weak to genuine happiness.

"YukiYuki is strong! She already threw SakiSaki off balance!" Maki commentated their battle(?).

"I do not intend to fight anyone." Koyuki said seriously. "This is a place of learning and knowledge. It is sacred."

"Woah… she is really into that cosplay." Sakiko backed away.

"Righty, why do you wear that YukiYuki?" Maki had apparently decided that this would be her nickname now.

"This is my normal uniform." Koyuki replied truthfully.

"For real? Are you actually a miko?" Natsuki was shocked.

"In training." Koyuki added.

"Part-time I bet." Sakiko shrugged and then walked off with a yawn. "Keep it down everyone or I will punish you."

"Don't listen to her Yuki-chan. She will grow on you too. Eventually. I think." Natsuki winked.

"I look forward to it." Koyuki nodded with a brilliant smile. Meeting all these new nice people was great. She already loved school.

* * *

As school ended Koyuki was dragged around by the group of girls she had befriended. Although the core of it all was not staying around. Sakiko had grabbed her bag as soon as the bell rang and then taken off.

"Yuki-chan! Want to come along with us for a bit? We are going to McDonalds on our way home." Natsuki offered.

"Macu… dohnals…?" Koyuki tilted her head.

"They don't have those in Kyoto?" Maki was chewing on some melon bread while jerking back in surprise.

"Sorry… I am not too familiar with the city life." She admitted.

"It's a fast-food chain. Pretty cheap and tasty." Natsuki explained.

"Oh, my aunt is already preparing dinner." Koyuki apologized.

"No problem. You said you just moved to Matsumae in your introduction, so just settle down first."

"Where do you live? Can I stay over? My mom is going to make me clean my room today, so-" Maki was opening her arms for another hug attack, but Natsuki just hard-countered her with a raised arm.

"The Yukimura shrine is my new home." Koyuki said with a wistful expression.

"You were really serious about the miko stuff, huh?" Natsuki still had a hard time believing it.

"Of course." She replied seriously again. She had no idea why they doubted her words. Maybe she didn't gain their trust yet?

"Welp, good luck up there. Your station is in the opposite direction of our food haven." Natsuki saluted with two fingers and pulled the resisting Maki along. "See ya tomorrow!"

"May we meet again healthy and happy." She bowed her head deeply.

"That sounded like a final greeting or something! Nooo, I wanna hug her at least ooooonce!" Maki was dragged off with tears in her eyes.

Koyuki stayed behind at the gates and looked back. The school was big. Bigger than the Yukimura shrine in Kyoto even. But she felt a horrible presence surrounding it. This whole town felt… off. The aura of evil was seeping through the cracks. That was probably the same thing her brother had felt back when he arrived. But if that was true, why did he not eliminate the source? Wouldn't that mean…

She shook her head and grabbed a few talismans and seals from her pockets. The first thing she was taught about entering dangerous environments was to create a safe base, somewhere to retreat to where spirits could not go. She would make sure the school was safe from the dark grasp of the other world!

After two hours she had finally placed the seals all around the school grounds. It was hard to attach them to all surfaces, so she had taken some instant glue from the material lockers. Now they were holding on perfectly. Koyuki puffed out her chest in pride at her work. This was a very good spread that even Aoki-dono would have been proud of!

She walked back downstairs while humming. It felt good to help the people.

"No way… the principal will burst another artery if he sees this." A familiar voice echoed inside the empty hallway. It was Sakiko. She was looking at the bulletin board where a few of the seals had been placed in a perfect pentagram pattern.

"H-hello Sakiko-sama!" Koyuki raised her hand in greeting. Her imposing presence was still a bit hard to deal with, but she would try.

"…it's you." She rubbed her tired eyes.

"Is something the matter?"

"Just some random acts of vandalism… nothing special." She shrugged sarcastically.

"Vandals are on the loose?!" Koyuki looked around and tensed up.

"I don't think it's that serious. At least there is no rhyme or reason to those doodles…" She closed one eye and turned away to suppress her laughter.

"I see. If you need my help, I will always be available." She offered her services diligently and then moved on.

"Sorry about before. I'm a little sleep-deprived." Sakiko did not turn her way, but she quietly apologized. She had one hand on her waist and seemed embarrassed.

"Not at all. I think you are a very strong person." Koyuki said with a smile that Sakiko couldn't see. To accept one's faults and admit them to a stranger was brave in her eyes.

"S-see you tomorrow then." The blonde girl replied curtly and walked off as well.

Koyuki still wondered who those vandals were that she had mentioned.

* * *

Back at home she ate dinner with her aunt and then returned to her small room. The moon was already high in the sky, meaning the time had come. This was the only chance. Aoki-dono had instructed her long and deeply on the topic of the Holy Grail War.

She pulled aside the tatami mats and dusted off the stone floor below them. Afterwards she proceeded to draw a summoning circle and place talismans at all corners of an imaginary star. It was said that the shape or type of summoning circle did not matter, but she felt that it might have been quite similar to Shikigami creation after all.

A hero would step out of spirit realm and form a pact with her. The mere thought send shivers down her back!

"Who will come to my aid?" She wondered with a longing expression. The heroes of her stories were all gallant and brave men and women. The symbols of justice.

It was impossible to tell whether she would be deemed worthy by the Grail. She had not received Command Seals beforehand like her brother did. And if all Servants were already summoned by the time she started the ritual, she would lose out as well. Yet it was worth a try for sure. She felt that this was the only way to get to her brother. It was almost like a premonition…

The summoning rites were complex, but at the same time surprisingly simple. All she had in mind while speaking them was to meet a hero. The swirling red of her spiritual power was gathered in the center of the circle and the talismans started to levitate.

"Heed my call, be my sword, fill my world with your justice! I call to you o Servant!" She shouted. The midnight hour had passed just as she spoke the final words and the red glow of the circle faded into the darkness of the night, leaving only circular shapes on her retinas.

The summoning had failed…

With a hint of disappointment Koyuki sank to her knees. This was how it always went. She tried to follow in her brother's footsteps so desperately and ended up stumbling at the finishing line. At least she had tried… at least she…

Her eyes had become moist, so she furiously wiped them with her sleeves. She rose to her feet and moved towards the garden exit. Fresh air would clear her spirits.

And there in the pale moonlight stood he.

The hero she had wanted to see with all her soul.

The red and black clad man was examining the night sky while stroking his goatee. He seemed serene in body and aura alike.

"!" She was speechless. This man could only have been a Servant. His appearance was ancient, but dignified. His soul was brimming with power. She stretched out her right hand and noticed a peculiar blue pattern on it. A simplified three layered lotus flower.

"What a charming night to be called upon once again." The man spoke with a tender voice. "Are you then my Master?"

"Yes." Koyuki nodded as if out of breath.

"Archer is my class, **Yue Fei** is my name. I vow to serve thee until the end of our intertwined path." He went down on one knee and bowed his head to her.

"Y-Yue Fei? The great tactician? The hero of Zhuxianzhen?!" She could barely grasp the reality in front of her. She had read so much about the exploits of Chinese heroes and their legends. Yue Fei was one of the greatest of all time.

"The very same. May I inquire on your name as well, Master?" He asked softly.

"Koyuki Yukimura." She said with a shivering voice.

"Koyuki-sama. It is a pleasure."

"Ah, uhm… w-well. Likewise!" She grabbed his hand and made him rise from his knee. "P-please don't bow to someone like me."

"You are humble. Indeed, kneeling before an equal may seem out of fashion. But as I will serve you with body and soul I felt it only natural."

His loyalty was unquestioned even when alive. It led to his greatest victories and to his eventual fall. Who was Koyuki to doubt such a man.

* * *

In the following night the two became more familiar and talked about their goals. As it turned out neither of them had a particular wish to the Grail. Archer said he might have one selfish desire, but he would not speak of it unless he saw the Grail in their grasp.

As for the situation they were currently in…

"Ya got some guts, appearin' in the middle offa night." Yukimura-san glared down on the kneeling hero as if he was some lowly intruder.

"My apologies… I was delayed by-" Archer tried to explain himself, but was immediately interrupted.

"A real man ought to shut his trap and take the scoldin'!" The priestess of this shrine was currently in her pajamas and very cranky. "Sis sent bodyguards for Yuki-chan, but she had ta carry her stuff all the way here on her lonesome. Great help ya'll turned out ta be! And where's the rest anyways?"

"I am… the only one." Archer replied with closed eyes as he could predict the reaction.

"Might as well have stayed home then! This ain't a dangerous city of hoodlums, y'know?" She smacked some dresser with her house shoe that she had used to hit Archer with when he first appeared in front of her.

"Auntie, please don't be so mean to Archer-dono." Koyuki begged her.

"Poor thing, ya don't gotta listen to this dolt. Just send him back ta Koyto." She growled.

"No, I am grateful for his support!"

"Really? What a pain in the… Well if ya don't got no problem with him, I guess he can stay. Was almost sure you'd not wanna be babysitted." She rubbed her stiff shoulders and tapped her foot.

"I will not disturb your temple or Koyuki-sama's life in any capacity." Archer vowed.

"Don't expect me to feed ya either." She glared down at him.

"I will provide for myself." He agreed.

"Fine fine, do what ya want. Those old men in the council are paranoid bastards though." She was too tired to apologize for her coarse language.

"Thank you auntie!" Koyuki hugged her.

"Why's it _you_ thankin' _me_ anyway?" She smiled wryly and patted her niece's head.

Archer kept kneeling dogeza style. He was wearing a black suit, as one would expect of a modern bodyguard.

They had decided to inform Yukimura-san for the sake of convenience, should Archer ever appear in front of her by accident. He would need to watch the shrine and its surroundings a lot and it would be easier to gain vital information if he appeared to her directly as someone with safety concerns.

"Now go back to hit the sack. Tomorrow's a school day." She shooed Koyuki off and kept Archer around to have a private talk with him. "If ya think this will be easy, ya don't know me yet."

"It seems there is miscommunication between us." Archer folded his hands slowly. "I have no stake in the council's politics. My only concern is Koyuki-sama's safety. Duty stands above all, even my own desires."

"Tsk… if yer an actor, you got even me fooled. I'm pretty darn good at telling a guy's character. 's the reason why I'm still single." She crossed her arms and frowned. There was simply no dishonesty in the refined man's face. "You can sleep in the attic I reckon. But don't disturb the visitors that wanna pray."

"I promise." He smiled warmly.

* * *

The next day went by in a flash as Koyuki could only think of returning home. She could barely focus on the new lessons (she was surprisingly good at keeping up with these subjects aside from English) and excused herself the moment the bell rang. The other girls were disappointed to say the least.

Back at the shrine she immediately met Archer below the peach. The tree was slender, but bore much fruit during the right season. What they discussed was far less sweet than the peaches though.

"I would like to patrol the school area, if you do not mind." Archer suggested.

"Will the other Masters not notice?" Koyuki wondered.

"My eyes are very good. It will be an easy task to watch from afar." He pointed in the direction of the school. There was a tall office building in the way. "If this location was not hidden I would be able to observe from here."

"F-from this far?!" Koyuki was impressed. She could barely even make out the school's parking lot from here. It took imagination and prior knowledge to know it was even there.

"This temple is a very useful base of operations. We will see any enemy coming from far away." He explained while slowly tracing the skyline with his finger. "On the other hand we are on display for any foe. It will be easy to surround us. They will know we are here."

"I didn't think of that." She had not thought in terms of war tactics of course when she came to live here.

"I am not admonishing you. Such is the flow of battle. Every position has advantages and disadvantages. It is our duty to explore and use them to our utmost. I am thankful to have a well defendable base."

Archer was certain that he could hold the fort down. His sharp eyes could see any and all enemies approaching and as an Archer class Servant he would be able to snipe them before they even arrived. At least Koyuki tried to imagine that.

"To be true to such words, I would like to strengthen our defenses and make myself familiar with the entire mountain." In an instant he stood atop the old crumbling wall of a Sengoku period fort wall. The temple hadn't always been here.

"So you do not want to move out tonight?" She guessed his intention.

"Indeed."

"I will trust in your wise words Archer-dono."

"I am honored."

* * *

The next morning Koyuki was awoken even before dawn truly broke the clouds apart. She heard the subtle humming of Archer's voice in her head. He had awoken her so softly that she felt like it was the caress of her mother…

"Good morning." She mumbled, even though they were communicating via telepathy.

" _The same to you Koyuki-sama. I wanted to inform you that a battle took place during your rest. It happened at your school."_

"What?!" She almost shot out of her futon.

" _I was not able to gather much from their clashing presence, but there is no doubt in my mind."_

"Don't blame yourself. I was the one who slept through it."

" _Rest is as important as action."_ Archer's words were comforting.

* * *

On the next day Koyuki and Archer patrolled the city and gained a sense for the battlefield. Her shrine maiden outfit garnered more attention than the black suited tall man next to her, but in combination they really seemed shady, so Archer stayed in spirit form for most of the time.

" _There is a high concentration of prana to the east."_ Archer spoke inside her mind.

"Another battle?" She gulped and readied her seals.

 _"It appears to be a trap. The flow of prana is unnatural and unfocused. Such a work could only be done by a Caster, but she is not engaged in battle."_

"She?" Koyuki was surprised to hear him so certain of her gender.

" _Yes, I can see her from up here."_ Apparently he was standing on top of a nearby rooftop. _"She appears quite young. Similar to you in many ways Koyuki-sama."_

A young girl that was goading these heroes to fight her? Koyuki could barely imagine such a bold person. But she too must have been a hero after all.

"In that case we should not come to them?" It was disappointing to say the least.

" _It would be unwise to purposely fall into their trap until we know the extent of their abilities."_

"I understand…" She had expected it already.

In truth they had been searching for the dark presence that Archer had felt at the school yesterday. So this Caster would have to wait until they had more information.

* * *

The third day of the war was quite eventful, as Koyuki had met Shigechiyo Sano and his Servant Rider. Their fight had been grand, but now that they sat in her room and discussed their information it turned out quite sparse.

"Rider-san fought a knight when she saved me for the first time." Shige retold the events while sipping on his tea.

"I know not his identity or that of his Master's. But I know he is a twisted soul." Rider had pushed aside her empty cup with barely hidden contempt for its former contents.

"Was he the presence you felt Archer-dono?" The shrine maiden asked the air.

Archer materialized inside the room and knelt down.

"It seems doubtful. The presence of the man you identified as Lancer was different."

"They passed my seal's detection and barriers completely." Koyuki was distraught.

"So they weren't just for show?" The words slipped out of Shige's mouth as he avoided eye-contact.

"They fend off evil spirits. I think they might not affect a spirit that can equal that of you heroes." She admitted.

"Definitely not…" Shige rubbed his throat. He could still feel the hands choking him…

"Oh, I feel so horrible for failing you Sano-senpai." She was really downcast now. "If I was more competent you would not have been hurt so badly."

"It's the fault of the sick bastard that takes control of people." Shige shook his head. Koyuki was too pure for him to stay calm.

"I hope those poor students are fine." She folded her hands in prayer.

"Yeah they seemed to be doing ridiculously well actually. Those three are tough." He looked into his cup and watched his uncertain reflection.

"If we knew how this mysterious Servant operates we could perhaps catch them before they can hurt more people." Archer said as he was stroking his goatee. It seemed to be a habit.

"We _will_ stop them." Rider said with a voice like steel. "A coward that hides and uses others is the most despicable… the most unforgivable…" She was unexpectedly angry. It seemed like a deep-seated hatred was peeking out of her soul.

"I won't get hurt again Rider-san! I got the pendant and my baseball bat to protect myself." He tried to comfort her awkwardly without touching her. His hands were just kind of hovering in the air.

And that is when it hit him. Baseball bat… baseball...

What had the trio said on the day before they attacked him? Something… about going to swing a few rounds? He held his head in pain. The memory was hazy already. It was such a pointless remark that it got drowned in all the exciting stuff of the last two days.

 _"Sorry 'bout springing this up on ya-….-"_

The words barely connected, but what was the next line?!

"Remember…!" He held his head to concentrate. Swinging a bat. Going to train.

It all came back in a flash.

" _We are actually goin' to Jinya today and tomorrow. Gotta let off some steam!"_

"That's it!" he exclaimed.

"Shige?" Rider looked at him with a raised brow.

"The last place they went before they attacked me on the next day was the Jinya district!" He said excitedly.

"I see. So you suggest that they were possessed while roaming around that place." Archer followed fast.

"T-then the enemy might be there?" Koyuki looked back and forth between them.

"It is possible, although I doubt a coward would stay in one place for long." Rider crossed her arms.

"We s-should just investigate tomorrow." Shige felt a strange excitement grab hold of him. It felt like he actually contributed.

"But there is school to consider Sano-senpai!" Koyuki pointed at him as if he said something outrageous.

"You really like that horrible place…." He looked at her with dulled eyes. "There is no school tomorrow. It's Sunday, remember?"

"Why would there be no school on Sunday?" This wasn't even about remembering, she never even knew about it.

"Sundays… are off days. We don't need to study every day." He rubbed his dark green hair awkwardly. He was explaining something so obvious to a girl his age…

"What a pity." She really was sad too. "I made a lot of wonderful friends there."

"They'll be around on Tuesday, like always."

"What? W-what about Monday? Is it a rest day too?" She widened her eyes in shock.

"I wish! It's just a holiday." He felt like a miserable loser when he saw her act so diligent.

"Those matters aside, we will have plenty of time to investigate then. It would be quite taxing to move out every night after your studies in the halls of knowledge." Rider was sympathetic to his plight.

"Then we are all agreed? Tomorrow at 10:00 in Jinya. Let's get the freak that tried to kill me." Shige raised his fist in a pose he thought of as determined.

"I agree." Koyuki nodded.

"Safe travels. I will keep a watch out for any new developments." Archer dissipated once again.

"Hmph. He is a worrywart at heart." Rider was not completely dismissive of Archer anymore.

* * *

After saying their goodbyes, the duo went down the long row of steps.

"Before we return home Shige, we will have to buy groceries." Rider suddenly sprang this up on him.

"W-why?"

"Do you not wish to eat well?"

"It's just… I don't enjoy cooking. I've been living on my own so long that I never had a reason to-"

"A person that is fine with eating like cattle is no better than cattle." She reprimanded him with surprising fervor. She must have seen his instant food supplies in the shelves.

"It's really not necessary…"

"A poor man may be grateful for even a piece of dry bread and a sip of stale water, but he will still seek better food all the same." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Malnourishment will weaken your body and soul. A warrior fights better with a feast behind and in front of him." There was a glow in her eyes. Much different from her Mystic Eyes as well.

"D-do you enjoy cooking Rider-san?" He gulped. Her hand was actually touching him. It was making him overly self-conscious.

"The joy of preparing food is equal to feasting on it." She declared.

"M-my dad would probably say you would make a great wife then, haha." Shige said while turning away and walking fast towards the grocery store down the street. Perhaps it wouldn't be so bad to eat great food if it was prepared by Rider-san!

"…" Unbeknownst to the young man, the blonde warrior woman was standing still. She watched his back with a painful nostalgia. She forced her hand to close where she had held his shoulder before. Her emotions and thoughts were hidden behind the stoic façade she carried ceaselessly.


	19. Spark

**Surprise. I don't know why, but... surprise.  
**

* * *

 **Spark**

* * *

It was Sunday morning and Matsumae was still waking from a long night. Traffic was slow, but a bustling city never stayed quiet for long. Even all the way out here, a car's engine was tuckering evenly.

" _Is it alright to abandon your cover for the day, Lehnsherr?"_ Lancer made a snide remark as the car stopped short of the city limits. The knight was in spirit form of course, rather than taking position on the backseat, but Rézny could still imagine his ironic smirk reflected in the back mirror all too well.

Rézny stepped out of the car and slammed its door shut. He adjusted the tie around his neck and lowered the hood that had been hanging deeply into his face. It was daytime and things were handled differently now.

"It won't be necessary today." He replied curtly and rummaged through his pockets. The brass knuckles were still where he put them of course, as were the two books that he always had on hand. They were unassuming to an outsider, but those in the know were aware that their pages were just storage space for hilts. Hilts of Black Keys specifically. One would do well not to underestimate a priest that claimed the holy Bible was the only weapon they needed to defeat non-believers.

" _Very well."_ Lancer did not seek further confrontation, but he did materialize with his arms crossed. "The bounded field reaches far out here. This must be the workshop of a magus family." He was unarmed for now, but his perception was still honed enough to make him tense up. His black hair was curling in the wind of the adjacent fields. They had truly reached the limits of what still could be considered Matsumae on this side of the city.

"That is the Tohsaka estate." Rézny pointed towards the mansion at the end of the street. "They are the landlords of this city."

"I remember you mentioning them, Lehnsherr." Lancer's one eye focused on the opulent Western style mansion. It would have stood out anywhere, but for some reason looking at it for more than a few moments made it feel uninteresting and not worth ones time. No doubt the effect of the bounded field. There would be no normal people trying to approach this place as long as those spells were active. "Is this why you wish to challenge them during the day?"

"I haven't come to fight." Rézny started walking firmly ahead.

"Is that so? And yet we are both aware that this will end in a battle nonetheless." Lancer followed shortly behind and summoned his black armor. The imprints of his boots became deeper immediately.

"…" The former Executor's gaze was unwavering. It was time to get results.

As the pair approached the mansion, something akin to a blur started to spread in front of them. It had an oddly ethereal appearance and might have been malleable to the touch if one dared make contact with it.

Rézny pulled out three Black Keys with his left hand and then swiftly stabbed them into the invisible barrier. They formed a triangle of light that shortly lit up and then suddenly a perfectly see-through space was created. Not taking long to admire his work, Rézny already passed the barrier, Lancer right behind him. As they reached the other side the Black Keys dematerialized and fell to the ground uselessly.

"We are being observed." Lancer said without looking up. A blue arc crossed the air and suddenly a destroyed creature splattered on the ground. It appeared to be a human eyeball with insect wings. What remained of it after being sliced apart by the quick lance was quite unappetizing to look at.

"They call it 'The Eyes'. They are weak observation familiars created from the blood of albino lizards and a simple transmission spell." Rézny explained under his breath.

"Mages never do cease to amaze in the ways of the peculiar." The grim knight glossed over the explanation and instead sliced another one down.

"It is pointless to destroy them. They can only see, not interact with us."

"I would rather meet my enemies face to face if you do not mind Lehnsherr." He replied sternly.

Just as he said so, another barrier appeared. The last layer before they would reach the entrance of the mansion. The gardens spread out to both sides of it. Once again Rézny grabbed into his suit pocket for more Black Keys, but in an instant the barrier dissolved on its own. If he had not been experienced in the field, Rézny would certainly have gasped at what awaited them.

They were surrounded. Several men and women were standing around them and glared with dark determination. In front of them, atop the stairs leading up to the entrance, stood a woman that demanded respect with her mere presence. Her cold look was focused solely on Rézny.

He glanced from right to left and counted up to 14. That's how many mages were surrounding them, not counting the woman in front. By his estimations there were still more inside.

"Welcome to my domain, unknown Master." The woman's icy voice made even him feel slightly pressured. "I am Ryouko Tohsaka, head of the Tohsaka clan whose territory you have trespassed upon. Identify yourself."

Rézny stayed quiet. So this was the lady that had created the unofficial thaumaturgic school in Japan. From what he had gathered back in London, he was certain that she was dangerous. To amass so much influence in a mere decade was unhealthy, for her and the Association alike. Her demanding attitude was certainly not unfounded. Many were under her command and swore loyalty only to her.

"How dare you stay silent!? You will reply when asked a question by Ryouko-sama!" One of the overeager zealots was holding a wax dagger in his hand and now pointed its dull blade towards Rézny. There was no doubt that this thing was his Mystic Code. "I give you five seconds to open your mouth-"

"Silence." Ryouko raised her hand to make her subordinate settle down. Then she addressed Rézny again. "You are a fellow affiliate of the Association, are you not? It is quite disappointing to see that their favorite lacks the basic manners to introduce himself to an overseer."

Her words were dry, but effective. If Rézny hoped to ascend the ranks in the Clocktower he could not allow himself to affront an influential magus. On the other hand Ryouko Tohsaka was an outcast to the Association. But the man standing to her right was not.

Joseph Stahl was watching him intently. Despite standing on that woman's side, he seemed rather uninvolved in the whole thing. He was the only one who hadn't pointed his weapon at him or showed him hostility. His mission was to observe, clearly.

"My name is Lewy du Rézny." He finally lowered his hand with the Black Key hilts and slipped them back into his pocket. "I am a former member of the Holy Church's Executors, Burial Squad division. After killing 13 of my subordinates I was cast out by my employers and was graciously taken in by the Clocktower. They have sent me on a mission to participate in this Holy Grail War and complete the ritual."

He straightened his back and then glared up the steps to his opponent. Any normal person would have flinched from the intensity exuding of his grey eyes. His body language seemed to say 'How is that for an introduction?'

A few of the mages surrounding him were visibly shaken by his words. Others didn't seem to comprehend the meaning of what he had revealed. But they could still sense that the atmosphere had changed considerably.

"So my information was accurate. The Hound of the Vatican has been let loose on my territory." Ryouko finally uncrossed her arms and put one hand on her slim waist. Her glasses reflected Rézny's calculating glare. "The Association has been rather desperate as of late, to allow a traitor into its ranks." Her words were laced with poison.

"I haven't come to debate my loyalty to the cause with you, Lady Tohsaka." He switched to English as this was a conversation between Association affiliates.

"No, you have entered my property unannounced, with your Servant no less, interfered with my bounded field and destroyed my familiar. It is clear that you have not come to hold a peaceful conversation." She huffed and then gave a hand sign towards Stahl. The bald bodyguard smiled wryly and handed her a letter. She took it with her white gloved hands and then threw it at Rézny, who captured it between his fingers.

"This is?" He didn't even look at the letter in his hand.

"A bill. You will reimburse me for the damage you have done and will cause from here forward." She smiled coldly.

"Bureaucracy..." Lancer turned around in a clear display of disinterest. The Tohsaka mages behind them stepped back a little from the sudden confrontation with the knight's full attention.

Unlike his Servant, Rézny did not show his displeasure. He safely put the letter away in his chest pocket without breaking eye contact.

"Your assumption is hasty. My reason for coming here is to formally challenge you to a battle, true."

She nodded as she had expected no less.

"But it will be on _your_ terms." He added and received audible gasps from some of the mages.

Ryouko Tohsaka raised her brow ever so slightly. He could tell that even she was unable to follow his train of thought. Unlike everybody else she would never show weakness though.

"Is that how things were handled in the Church?" She asked slowly. He could tell she was stalling for time.

"It is my personal code. I allot my opponents time to prepare." He simply said how it was.

"Your arrogance is staggering." Her mouth turned down in dismay.

"Your inactivity forced my hand. Since the start of the war your clan has not made a single move beyond damage control." Rézny shot back. His words delivered the wished reaction. The subordinates got loud and were close to attacking him. Stahl was smiling, while Ryouko's right eye twitched ever so slightly. There was something afoot. He _knew_ it.

"Heh." Lancer gave the riled up mages behind them a defiant grin.

"After meeting you in person I've come to the conclusion that my suspicion was right." Rézny pointed upwards. "You have not been able to summon a Servant!"

The clouds above rumbled. Thunder was the sign of an impending storm. All around Rézny was a drizzle of shouts and anger, but at the center of this whirlpool stood one unmoving cliff that repelled all waves of emotion.

Ryouko Tohsaka did not break.

"I thought you were a proper magus, despite your horrid manners. Though now it appears even a cowardly hermit is preferable to scum like you." Her quiet wrath was scalding. Rézny realized that he had angered a lioness with his back to the wall. "For me, the heiress to the prestigious Tohsaka family, not to have gained the right to participate in a ritual held on my own land… such an insult will not stand. You asked for my terms?" She raised her hand and balled it to a fist. " _Die,_ knowing that you made the wrong enemy."

Now all the mages were readying their weapons and spells once again. Each had vastly different potentials and appearances. Rézny could tell that they were not of one coherent family or subject; they came from places all over the country, from families with varied magecraft and styles.

Joseph Stahl shook his head and sighed. He seemed to have expected this outcome, but as Ryouko's bodyguard, he had nary to do, but wait and see.

"So that's how it will be…" Rézny's resignation didn't show on his face, but he thought of this conflict as pointless. Of course fighting a Servant was a fool's errand for any modern magus. As long as Lancer was at his back Rézny had nothing to fear from even their superior numbers. He stood still while he waited for them to make a move.

And indeed the students did not make a move in fear of the armored knight at first.

"Lehnsherr." Lancer suddenly called out to him. Between the torrents that had started up ever since they appeared at the mansion, Rézny could barely hear his Servant's words. "I admire your gamble, but it was not meant to be."

"…" He looked up just as Lancer finished. Up on the rooftop he had now felt another presence.

There he sat, in a laid back pose, as if observing a distant battlefield. His short black hair was untouched by the torrential wind surrounding the mansion and his red irises seemed to be reflecting an unseen flame evermore. His clothes were simple, but well made. A silky white top and robust several time folded pants. Around his neck he wore a golden chain with a red jewel inside it that resembled his eyes. His youthful face was not displaying a single scar or wrinkle, almost inhumanly handsome.

And at this very moment his gaze fell upon them.

There was no room for doubt, not a single shred of ambiguity. That young man was a Servant. Even without his Master vision, Rézny could have told from his presence alone. Lancer must have noticed him a while ago.

Although the young man carried nary a weapon, it felt like they were only seconds away from getting decapitated. He was dangerous. Deadly. There was no escape.

Against his will, Rézny instinctively clutched his neck as if to protect it from an invisible blade.

"You now realize your mistake." Ryouko spoke haughtily. "I have summoned the greatest hero of this country and you will experience his wrath firsthand!"

Her words echoed inside Rézny's numbed mind. What was this emotion? Why did he feel numb? Was this… _fear_? Red eyes like all-consuming flames were holding him in place. How could a single person make him feel so inferior?!

The raven haired Servant above lost interest in an instant and turned his face away. Instantly Rézny could feel his heartbeat return and managed to breathe again. But the tension would not fade... They were so far below him that he didn't even consider them worthy of his attention.

He could not fight that thing. He could not even move…

"Greatest hero?" And that was when the tension was cut cleanly by the mocking words of a black knight. "Is that what is considered a hero in this country?" He had summoned his spear and was casually leaning it over his shoulders while hanging his arms over it.

The unknown Servant had heard him. He slowly turned back towards the impudent Lancer.

"Strike them down!" Ryouko commanded.

Rézny forced himself to move back and pull out his brass knuckles. Even if he was powerless, he would not allow himself to be killed easily. The runes on his weapons started to glow blue and then the brass knuckles turned black.

But the attack never came. Despite the clear order from his Master, the enemy Servant did not move. He stayed still and kept his gaze fixed on Lancer. This was unexpected for both parties. Ryouko clearly appeared frustrated, but Rézny stayed vigilant. Perhaps this was another trick. He had been wrong once already.

"I said eliminate our enemies!" Ryouko raised her hand in anger.

For a second Rézny expected her to use a Command Seal for this one order, but not even the prideful Ryouko was that desperate. The uncaring attitude of her Servant was very interesting nonetheless. This black-haired Servant would not budge from his spot on the roof.

"How dare you…" The bespectacled Master growled in a low voice. Defiance was one of the things she despised most. "Sakata!" She called out to someone. A moment later a spiky haired boy opened the entrance and knelt in front of her. "Take care of this. You know what to do." She urged him to hurry up and he sprinted back into the mansion.

Whatever just transpired, Rézny was ready for battle. The event had been moved forward, but what this came down to was just another battle of the Holy Grail War. If the mysterious Servant was not attacking, they could take out his Master with ease. In the worst case he would pressure her into using a Command Seal.

"What were you insinuating, mortal?" The unfamiliar youthful voice from above disrupted his concentration again. The enemy Servant had spoken to Lancer. His words were slow, but sent shivers down his spine.

"Do they not know the meaning of heroism in this uncivilized island nation?" Lancer's eye-patch was facing the Servant, as he did the same thing that was done to them before. He didn't even deem his enemy worth his full attention. "A hero is someone who fights valiantly, with bravery and purpose. One whose legends will be retold in prose and song. Those who fought fiercer than any on the field of battle and are most revered." His words were flowing like dark oil across blank paper.

'What is he doing?' Rézny wondered to himself. He could not gauge Lancer's objective.

"And yet you have been shirking a battle presented to you. You have failed to heed your Master's orders and to meet your foes. 'Greatest Hero'? No _coward_ will ever be a true hero in this world."

The storm had arrived. The clouds above had become so dark that the morning light was swallowed whole. If the wind had been fierce before, it was now enough to physically push the mages back. The young man rose from the roof tiles and gave Lancer his full attention.

"You are courageous if nothing else, puny knight. Only, your bravery is that of a blind rat in the den of a wildcat." Those red eyes were unforgiving. A slight of this magnitude demanded blood for recompense.

"I don't need to see you to be able to tell that you are no hero." Lancer said as he cracked his neck. The winds did not even slow his movements. "There!" He deflected an incoming projectile with his spear. Whatever it was, it had arrived so fast that Rézny could not comprehend its trajectory. The moment it was deflected into a nearby tree, the whole giant plant was felled completely. The velocity of that projectile was insane.

"Insolent cur…" The Servant crossed his arms and frowned. Six glowing orbs were spinning around him as if held up by telekinesis. Their serene patterns were mesmerizing, but right when the blurry afterimages had seared into his eyes, they suddenly shot ahead, all aimed at Lancer.

The Servant of the spear dodged one, and deflected two more. Then he jumped up several meters at once. The orbs followed him at increasing speed! Even the three he thought avoided came back from all directions and angles.

"Is that all?" He slashed so fast that it appeared as if he was surrounded by a yellow and blue net. The six orbs were all hit into the ground surrounding the gathering of magi and then _exploded._ The fire and shockwaves sent half the Tohsaka subordinates flying and injured them.

Rézny finally snapped out of his stupor. That friendly fire was his cue. While Lancer was taking on the Servant's entire attention and barrages, he would take down his Master. Ryouko had watched her Servant finally move with a hint of relief, but then she turned back to focus on him. She was not careless enough to simply forget about her own opponent.

Except she did not even attempt to fight. In an instant several of the mages that hadn't been blown away attacked Rézny. The first one to go at him was the man with the wax blade. Expectedly it was no brittle dagger, but rather a malleable item. It extended like a whip, but then turned sharp at the corners. With one hit of his fist Rézny tore the entire construct apart. Compared to his rune hardened knuckles, even magically infused durability was meaningless.

He kept moving, but to his surprise, the broken wax reformed and was slinging back to tie him up like a rope. The controlling magus smiled viciously as Rézny was caught in the rope and had his arms tied to his waist.

"Now! Cull this fool!" He commanded his fellows to finish him off.

Rézny could feel the wax turn more rigid and tightening up to ensnare him completely. It was a big mistake to get caught in this. An oversight he would never have let happen… if he didn't know he could overcome it.

Just as the enemy mages tried to impale him with odd magnetic spiked orbs that created high voltage on contact, he broke the wax apart with ease and then punched both men into the abdomen at once. They were frozen in time as they lost consciousness immediately, just due to sheer pain. Their orbs were falling down, but Rézny kicked them up and then punched them so hard against the wax user that his shoulder bone and ribs were cracked audibly.

Following this up, he kicked off the unconscious mages and then punched the wax user's solar plexus with his black brass knuckle. The man was sent flying against a stone arch and stayed down.

Just as he raised his head he dodged a fireball that would have molten his face off. His left hand moved so fast that the enemy didn't even realize that his magic staff was cut in two by the Black Key.

Another magus raised a scroll and Rézny felt his vision black out. All the light in the immediate area was sucked up into that scroll. A fake 'black hole' spell, which unlike its name suggested, was only absorbing light, instead of bending gravity. Blinded, it was hard for the former Executor to keep going. The storm was so loud that his ears were also useless.

 _ **CRACK!**_

The Treant summoned by three mages was impaled by Rézny's fist. The rune that read ' **Ansuz** ' lit up in red and then _literally_ lit up into flames. The brass knuckle was shoulder deep inside the familiar, but as it was pulled out the core of the wooden monster exploded into a fiery blaze. The light of the fire was absorbed again, but its path was a guiding flame…

Six Black Keys penetrated the light absorbing scroll and the hands of the user. The man cried out in pain as blood sprayed from his severed fingers. Rézny could not allow him to do that again.

The remaining magi became cautious. He had just singlehandedly dismantled their combined attacks without receiving a scratch. Ryouko Tohsaka could not possibly have expected them to win against him, so what was her plan?

He went into a new stance and extended his fists in preparation to counter-attack.

One of the remaining mages used healing spells to stop the bleeding of the scroll user. Rézny let it slide. He hadn't come here to kill goons. Ryouko watched him coolly. _She must have had a plan…_

Then why did nothing happen? The explosions of the Servant's projectiles behind him left craters everywhere. Lancer didn't seem to be in trouble yet, but it was impossible to tell what he would do once things got serious.

The burning Treant's fire had been growing by virtue of the swirling winds. Those flames were lighting the entire area and created shadows over everyone's faces. The dark side of Rézny's face was facing his enemies who backed away as if they had seen a specter.

"…" It was no use. Waiting for her to attack would not get him anywhere. If he sprinted with rune boosted legs he would be able to overcome the entire distance between them in an instant. But Stahl stood right next to her and he presumed that this man was formidable to be sent out as a spy into this place.

Lancer jumped over a balcony and landed on the rooftop. He could see the knight keep his distance to his shooting enemy. Their battle would escalate any moment now.

What was the Tohsaka's magecraft? He knew the main branch had gemcraft that was rivaling even the Edelfelt's, but what about the branch family?

What about the calculating woman in front of him?

"Is that the best you can do - the man who is the Association's favorite? Or are you still chained by your life as a dog of the Church?"

Her contempt filled words were irritating. What did she know about his previous life? The suffering of those who exterminated monsters in the name of the Lord, to protect humanity? All she saw in him was an obedient pet that followed orders. Just like his superiors did back then. He felt rage swell up inside him, but managed to ebb it with reason.

This was his last war. His last mission. Once he obtained the Grail it would all have been worth it.

His fist was clutched to the point where the brass knuckle dug into his flesh. He had no hesitation anymore.

Two Black Keys flew above Ryouko and Stahl's heads. They penetrated the overhang of the entrance. Stahl knew what would come next, but it was too late. Rézny moved his hands in opposite directions and the Keys followed his exact motions inside the brick and wood, cutting it open wide. The rubble fell straight down on Ryouko!

In the last second Stahl had pulled her away from being crushed and then blocked Rézny's incoming punch centimeters from his face. Of course he was the first target. Once the bodyguard was down it would be his master next.

"So the rumors about you were true Mr. Stahl." He kept pushing his fist forward and slowly overpowered the bald mage.

"Oh? What rumors… could anyone invent for a… nobody like me?" He replied with a shaking voice. His veins were pushing out visibly as he tried his hardest to hold the former Executor back.

"They say that you have never let a contractor die." Rézny followed up with his other fist and Stahl blocked that one with his remaining free hand as well. "What you lack in strength, experience might balance out against a good assassin."

"…ah, but you aren't an assassin." He gave him a rueful smile as he was pushed back.

"I'm not just 'good' either." He kicked upwards and hit Stahl across the face. Then he pulled his hands back and the two Black Keys inside the rubble flew back straight towards Ryouko's spine. He had given her a chance to resolve it peacefully, but she had brought this onto herself.

"NOW!" Stahl shouted as he got out of the wall he had been kicked into.

Six mages jumped Rézny all at once and bound him with spells. A basic chain spell that anyone could master with time, but it was effective when used by so many.

The Black Keys got molten midair by a huge blue flame that seemed to come out of nowhere. The heiress of the clan did not even flinch and just adjusted her glasses. So this was Ryouko Tohsaka's magecraft! She could summon flames. But that couldn't have been all. The fire was strong enough to melt Black Keys, which was a big feat for just simple magical fire.

With a twist of his back Rézny managed to loosen his hands from the chains. He grabbed the mages next to him and hit them against each other with enough force to knock them out. A few chains faded, giving him ample space to punch the next mage with a burning brass knuckle. His barrier had caught fire… and was then crumbling from Rézny's _headbutt_.

The defensive magus looked at him as if he was the devil himself. Utter fear was written on his face. These were small fry…

In three chained punches he knocked all remaining enemies to the ground. Then he blocked Stahl's incoming punch with his arm as if it was nothing.

"This is as far as your experience goes." He said sternly and then broke Stahl's wrist.

"Ungh… that bastard sure is taking his time…." The bodyguard frowned as he held his injured arm.

Just as Rézny was tired of figuring out cryptic sentences and prepared to pummel Stahl and Ryouko alike…

"Lehnsherr!" Lancer crashed into the ground next to him and shielded him from an explosion.

"What is going on? Are you losing?" He asked his Servant in confusion.

"That remains to be seen, but that lad is something else." Lancer replied without mockery or exaggeration. He honestly admitted his inferiority.

Speaking of the devil, the young man arrived on the grass as well. His body had been gently floating down, as if the winds had carried him.

"Has your bravery run out already, mortal?" The unknown Servant asked haughtily.

"Don't play around. _Kill them_!" Ryouko shouted over the tumultuous storm.

"…" He didn't react and kept standing patiently, as if awaiting Lancer's reply.

"You are not bad for a lad that hasn't grown hair on his chest yet." Lancer spun his spear around and lowered his body to react to anything.

"Nothing but talk." The red eyes glinted and in the next moment, like a burst of wind, the Servant was right next to them. The slipstream dragged along large patches of earth.

Lancer gritted his teeth. As long as he wore his armor he was not fast enough to keep up, but if he took it off-

"I shall show you the difference between us directly." The orbs stopped spinning and revealed a tear-drop like shape with a hole in its center. Three of each were sliding down the Servant's fingers and the spikes aimed forward.

"My apologies, Lehnsherr."

Rézny couldn't even ask what Lancer was apologizing for, as he received a kick to his side so hard that it sent him flying 20 meters over the garden and straight into a hedge. He felt some of his ribs crack, despite his rune enhanced durability.

But that kick hadn't come from the enemy… it had been Lancer's.

And as he rose through the pain he could see why. What he saw in front of him was devastation given form in the shape of a hole inside the mansion. No, more accurately, several rooms had been vaporized…

Lancer stood in the center of the crater that split apart behind him. He had somehow taken the entire force of the exploding punch and deflected it to the sides. But his black armor was torn off at several points.

"Hmm. I suspected this was the end of your tale as a hero." The Servant said with a disappointed expression.

"Afraid not." Lancer pulled himself up and leaned on his spear. "To think you would strap those explosive accessories to your own hands… you remind me of a fool I once knew." He might have taken some damage, but he was far from done. His wooden spear was shining in a sun like yellow.

"Are you alright, Ryouko-sama?" Stahl coughed as he pushed the rubble off his back. He had shielded his master with his body. The Servant's attack had been completely indiscriminate, with no regards for his Master.

"…I will _not_ be humiliated like this." Her seething anger finally overcame her cold demeanor. Her hair bun had been slightly opened up and some of her silky hair was hanging into her face. With three quick steps she was next to her Servant.

"Show me your Noble Phantasm, pathetic hero." He ignored his Master and goaded Lancer on.

"I would have done so even if you had not asked." The grim knight's left eye glinted, reflecting the lightning that spread inside the clouds.

"You _will_ listen." Ryouko was close to hitting him across the face, but at the last moment reconsidered. Instead she used her raised hand to wave over one of her subordinates. The boy named Sakata came running with something inside his hands. "You wish this to be returned to you, no?" She used her trump card it seemed. Without regards to Sakata, she snatched the cloth covered object out of his hands and showed it off.

The Servant, for the first time, seemed to acknowledge her existence. His sideway glare was so intense it could have burned lesser beings alive.

But nothing was as cold and determined as the blizzard inside Ryouko's eyes.

"…what do you desire?" He asked with barely hidden disgust.

"You caused destruction at my workshop and nearly injured me. I will not tolerate these offenses." Her words had been emboldened by his reaction. "If you want your wish to be fulfilled and this to be returned… you will learn to obey."

There was no telling how much hatred the unknown Servant felt in his heart at that very moment. But ultimately he just crossed his arms and waited.

"Lewy du Rézny." Ryouko called out to him as he had already returned while holding his broken ribs. "This destruction has been caused by my disobedient Servant, so I will not charge you for it."

He could barely believe his ears. After almost dying twice, she could still talk business? This woman's heart was colder than ice itself.

"To avoid further damage to my property I will postpone our match. I acknowledge you as a magus that deserves a regular duel of Servants." Ryouko adjusted her loose hair and tied it back up to show how little of a threat he posed to her.

"And if I disagree?" He asked her with a disparaging tone.

"Then I will tell my Servant to completely annihilate you this instant, without mercy." She replied with her first terrifying smile.

Rézny calmed his heart, swallowed his words and reorganized his thoughts. In the possible event that Lancer lost, he would not be able to survive a clash with this Servant. He was not confident anymore that he could kill Ryouko before this happened. If he took her deal, she would spare him, at least according to her words. She was a scheming and calculating woman, but he could tell that she put strong emphasize on tradition and rules. Her oath would be binding.

"I accept." He answered coolly and put one hand to his forehead and heart. A gesture that was associated with binding Geas. "Next time we meet we will let our Servants decide the victor alone."

"Do attempt to survive until our next meeting." She crossed her arms below her bosom and dismissed him in cold superiority.

Rézny did not reply as he left the Tohsaka estate. If she died before they met again he would not be discontent either. Nothing mattered other than his wish to the Grail. No humiliation was too great, no pain too deep. That was what differentiated him from the heiress.

Lancer had watched them come to an agreement with a disinterested expression and dissipated into his spirit form as they left.

" _There is discord between Servant and Master. We can use that."_

"There is more to this…"

" _An angry woman can doom an entire kingdom in a single moment. But she will also cause her own downfall in the same breath."_ His Servant's words were far from philosophical as he knew. Lancer was speaking from experience.

What was this nagging feeling? It seemed that something was at the edge of his mind, but he could not grasp it yet. In a way dealing with such a power-mad woman was more challenging than fighting vampires. The desire of immortal men and monsters were straightforward. A woman's willfulness on the other hand had unending facets.


	20. Ties that bind

**Ties that bind**

* * *

The Ahnenrast hotel was a discrete place. Many famous people had spent their time here with the expectation to be undisturbed by the public eye. The hotel staff prided themselves with their discretion towards their guest's eccentricities and lifestyles. Thus it was not surprising that they didn't think to bother Madame Léger in her suite even once since her return. Occasionally she seemed to move out with her personal bodyguard/attendant Lupus, but she didn't give them even an iota of attention.

The whims of celebrities were beyond the understanding of commoners after all…

"Why do you need to shower?" Collingwood asked with a deadpan expression.

"Pardon?" Caster seemed distracted with deciding between the two dozen different shampoos that had been stacked on top of each other next to the bath's pool sized tub.

"You are a Servant… a _spirit_. How many times do I need to remind you of that?" He was sitting on the couch when he had seen her enter the spacious bath.

"Frankly I just do not see your point, Master." The quirky girl replied and grabbed a fancy looking purple bottle out of the selection.

"My point is that you don't need to wash or eat." Especially the eating part bothered him. Whether she was naturally gluttonous or just curious, wherever they went she asked for a sample of a yet undiscovered food. He didn't want to rely too much on their stolen identity, so all of that payment came out of his own pockets. Soon his hands would be boring holes into them.

Caster clicked her tongue and looked back at him as if she was talking to an uncultured barbarian. Her purple eyes were quite condescending for once.

"Master, there are things you should not scrutinize with pure logic. A girl feels best when she takes care of herself or is taken care of. My body may not require any one of these things, but for the sake of my spirit and morale, these are truly necessary actions. To be robbed of human necessities will in turn make you lose your humanity."

"That's quite philosophical and all…" He sighed. "But aren't you just pretending?"

"…call it a performance then." She replied with delay. Her hand had stopped from moving the faucet.

He leaned his tired head on the backrest of the couch and looked at the TV screen. It was muted, but he could still see the rerun of the news. A truck driver apparently had suffered a heart attack and drove into a café last night. To him it was clear that those news were just a cover up. After all he had been there when the man called Leroy Derickson had attacked those civilians. He was partly responsible for their injuries as well…

"What kind of performance would that be?" he asked lethargically. His head was pounding from sleep deprivation and his shoulder still burned up occasionally.

"Hm, well… let us call it _'Being myself'_." Caster replied with a hollow chuckle. "I'm afraid that this is an act I am not quite used to yet. It might turn out disastrous for all I know." She opened the faucet and hot water streamed into the tub.

Her words made him feel oddly sympathetic. Perhaps she was just being dramatic, but he could sense that she was trying to put up a brave front in the face of something painful. No matter what went through his mind he could not find a good reply.

If she felt better just from taking a bath, how could he honestly object?

"You are too easy." Caster said as she leaned her arms over the backrest next to him.

"…!" He suppressed his reflex to move away at the last second. Years of running from danger had made his body all too paranoid. "Why's that?" He forced out.

"I am delighted that you have so much compassion in you." She smiled impishly. "But if you were such a softy all along, how did you ever manage to survive to this point?"

Those vulnerable words had been a trap. Her teasing tone made him realize that he really did fall for her trickery way too easily. He grimaced and tried to push her off the couch, but she gracefully avoided his sluggish hands.

"Ahaha, you might be a rough soul, but you never cease to amuse me." She winked and then hopped backwards into the bath.

"Just drown yourself already…" He grumbled.

"As a spirit it would be a challenging task. Is that what you wish for Master? Perhaps you would like me to follow your example?" She shrugged while slowly opening a few of her long ribbons. The memory of how she fished him out of the river must have still been a source of amusement to her.

"Dammit." He went through his hair and gave up. She would always best him in a straight exchange. It didn't help that he could barely keep his eyes open.

"All jests aside, you should take this opportunity to rest as well." Caster said with a more serious tone. "You have been awake ever since we retreated from that madman." Did he hear a hint of worry from her voice?

"Maybe you are right." His hand finally stopped combing through his untidy hair. It was obvious all along, but he needed it pointed out to him anyway. No matter how many times he went over the events of the last few days, he could not find a solution to his problems. Both encounters with their enemies had turned out less than favorable. Reckless, cautious, defenseless… At every turn he made another mistake. It was frustrating.

"Master…" She began, but then seemed to reconsider. "Dawn will be with us soon. Try to recover your energy for a while. When a new day begins, we shall find our answer." With that she let her frilly dress slide down her shoulders and stood naked in the pale moonlight. She was not displaying any shame, fully aware that he would not dare to look at her anyway.

"...right." He turned his head towards the big panorama windows. The night had been short…

The distant sound of splashing water which accompanied the slender girl's submerging body was the last thing he heard before drifting off.

* * *

 _He dreamt a dream so distant…_

"Gyahaha this is the best!"

A loud voice echoed inside the boy's head. It was painful to listen to… no, the pain was a lot worse than that. It spread from his face, back and legs.

"Looks like he bleeds red just like the rest of us." A female voice chimed in.

"But he stinks soooo bad!" A hoarse teenager's voice reverberated right next to his ear.

Isao opened his swollen eyes.

He was lying on the ground. His sideway view showed nothing but wooden planks that were supposed to function as walls… and a dirt floor covered in all kinds of plastic packaging from foods and snacks, as well as cigarette stumps and shards of glass.

"Oi, kid, are you still with us?" A thick hand slapped him across the face repeatedly. The pain was numb by now.

"After that beating I'd be surprised if he can still reply to ya ahahahaha!" The guy behind him seemed to find this absolutely hysterical.

"Fuck… you…" Isao spat out dirt from his torn lips.

"Haaah? What was that? I couldn't hear you with your – face – in – the - dirt!" With every word Isao's head was pulled up and smashed into the ground again.

"This is what's wrong with foreigners. No respect. They never know when to shut up." The girl complained. A moment later her heavy boot was pushed into Isao's back. "There are two things I totally can't stand. Orphans and foreigners! Guess what? You fulfilled all my shit list criteria just like that!" She pushed him down with more force.

Isao could barely feel his limbs anymore. The beating had made him sore all over. But he wouldn't let them have the last laugh… he wouldn't let them break him. With more force than he should have had left in him, he moved his head up. He looked right into the face of a teenage girl. She was wearing her sailor uniform loosely and wore terrible amounts of make-up. The freckles below the thick coat of rouge and mascara were still slightly visible. Her eyeliner was slightly smeared with tear-like lines.

Next to her stood a guy in a worn out school uniform. His thick glasses were magnifying his eyes unnaturally. He had several band-aids all across his face.

The only one he couldn't see was the older guy that had smashed his head into the dirt repeatedly. He had been sitting on his legs for a while. What his hazy memory could reconstruct was that he was a corpulent guy with a stubble and a bad stench of alcohol. He must have been way older than the other two.

How did he end up here? Everything was a haze. If only he had not run from the orphanage…

"Do you even speak proper Japanese? Huh?" The girl kept stepping on him and leaned down. Her face was so close to his that he could see every pimple on her forehead and hair on her eyebrows. "You reply when a senior asks you something shitkid!" She smacked him again. Compared to the older guy's hits it was almost painless.

"Of course he can't speak! Just look at his head. It looks like an aliens or something… I bet he is too stupid to read." The glasses boy cackled.

"He's feral I tell ya." The big guy sitting on Isao's legs growled. "Bit me three times on the way here."

The trio kept insulting him. It was all the same to Isao. He was used to getting called names and to be shunned. All he wanted was to get out of here and curl up somewhere…

"He screamed a lot at first… got a real dirty mouth on him, but didn't ask for help. D'ya think he was thrown out?"

"I almost feel bad for the other trash that lives there. Even scum doesn't wanna live with a pile of feces. Man, he really stiiinks." The student said while holding his nose.

"Probably the booze…" The big guy said unapologetically. He had smashed a bottle of beer over Isao's head a while ago.

"Orphans are worthless. Their parents didn't want them; society doesn't want them, why even live?" The girl asked with her hands stretched to the sides. "You are like parasites. The government funds your shitty orphanages and for what? So you can nestle in some guilty family's home and ruin their lives!"

"Hey, easy with the knife…" The big guy warned her with a hint of worry. Despite his buzz he seemed to be the most reasonable.

"Shut it! I've had enough of this garbage society. Japan's going down the drain, because greedy foreigners keep stealing from us." She flipped open the pocket knife and then closed it again. Click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack…

"THAT'S IT! Those fucking invaders takin' our jobs!" Glasses boy agreed empathically. "My dad was fired, because his company is going bankrupt! They were bought by some American bigwigs and they just threw us away!" He punched the wooden planks. They audibly cracked.

"See? Goda-san you lost your job too, right?" The girl called out to the older guy.

"Mmmyep." He growled. "Ec'nomy's been onthe dauuun… for years…" He seemed to have trouble talking straight.

"And you don't even care you piece of shit, do you? DO YOU?" She grabbed him by the hair and then held the knife to his face. Click-clack… click-clack…

"It's… not my… fault…" Isao pressed out with a strained voice.

"Cry me a river bitch! This is all your fault, don't try to worm your way out of this. Your people are all trash. Which makes you the trash that was discarded by trash." The girl let go of his hair (letting him crash painfully) and then curled her black hair strains around her finger. She was overly excited. Click-clack… click-clack…

"Are you gonna cut that hair soon?" Goda asked her with a strangely thick voice.

"Don't know yet. It's all I have left from mom." She closed her eyes with a torn expression.

"Short hair is way hotter." Goda said in a predatory tone.

"I'll let you do me later, so just shut up." She seemed annoyed. "What time is it Iida?"

"Uh… it's just past noon." The bespectacled guy replied with a red face. The light coming from outside was really faint, as the storm clouds had been covering the sky all day. The last shower had ended only a little while ago.

Hearing that, the girl bit her lipstick covered lips in a mix of panic and anger. The more agitated she got the more she played with the pocket knife. Click-clack. Click-clack. Click-clack.

"Whatever, let's just tie the trash to the pipe and go get some grub." She shrugged callously and then kicked Isao over. The big guy finally moved from his numb legs, so they could throw him against a pipe stabbed into the ground in the corner of the room. Click-clack.

"You think we can just leave him here?" Iida asked nervously.

"He won't be running if we tie him up. We'll be back soon to punish his ass." She glared at Iida and then kicked open the door to their hideout. Outside a grey light covered the wet woods around the badly constructed shed.

"I want sommore booze first." Goda cracked his neck and threw away an empty bottle. It joined the others on the pile in the corner. He proceeded to tie Isao to the pipe with whatever was lying around.

"No way. I won't waste my allowance on that. We gotta eat something good this time." She shot back angrily and moved out.

"W-wait for me! I want soba." Iida adjusted his glasses and ran after her.

"Buncha brats." Goda grumbled in a low voice and then threw the door shut as he left.

Quiet. Isao could hear nothing but the occasional chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves.

Everything hurt and the pipe was pressing into his tiny back. His clothes were torn at so many places… his lips were bleeding… Everything hurt.

What did he do to them?

Why was it always him?

 _If only he had never been born…_

With deep resentment towards this evil world he fainted.

The darkness of the unconscious world was a blessing. Over there he could not feel or think anything. If there was a god or anything like it, he really wished that they would cast a spell on him that would let him sleep eternally… just like in that fairy tale he read once.

 _Crack._

Isao's swollen eyes shot open. The sound had penetrated even his drowning mind. His heart began to pound in fear. Those monsters had returned already!

The door was shaking. The cracking sound had come from the splintering wood.

Isao tried to move his hands from behind the pipe, but the plastic band they had used to tie him to it was too resilient. He pushed his legs against the dirt ground and moved his back against the cold pipe. It was stuck deep into the earth; no amount of wriggling would move it. He was too small to move his hands over it.

It seemed he was trapped for good. They would beat him again… spit on him… insult him…

The anger that had set his chest aflame so long ago was giving way to cold, unadulterated fear. He was scared. He didn't want to hurt anymore. They would keep him here until he was dead. He didn't want to be here… He wanted to leave!

The door finally gave in to the force applied to it. As it swung open Isao's eyes were blinded by the late evening light. The red fringes around the shadowy person made him almost wet himself in fear. It looked like the school-girl had returned.

"Isao! Isao are you in here?!" The concerned voice shouted into the shed.

I-s-a-o?

He looked at her in shock. That was his name. She knew his name.

And her voice was so familiar, even if he had never heard her so desperate before.

"M…other…" He cried out coarsely.

"Isao!" She had heard his voice and now saw him leaned against the pipe in the corner. Her face was still covered by shadows, but he could tell her shape now. It was the orphanage's mother. She had come… "What have they done to you?! Wait just a second, I will free you!" Her shock was audible, but she was a woman of action. In a second she had taken one of the glass shards and carefully cut open the plastic band around Isao's small wrists. "My poor boy…"

"Mother…!" He couldn't stand. His legs were too weak. He fell right into her embrace.

"Who would do this to a child?" She hugged him strongly and rubbed his dirty head with care. "We need to get you to a hospital." She carried him in her arms and immediately moved out of the shed. Her determination was unshakable. She had come all the way out here to find him. She had been worried for him…

"Sorry…" Isao buried his face in her shoulder and for the first time tears were pouring from his eyes. He had not cried a single time since he ran away. When they punched him, kicked him, hurt him over and over, he didn't allow himself to shed tears a single time. But now all the dams were broken, all of it was let loose and he spilled it all into the gentle mother's arms.

"W-what are you apologizing for? This isn't your fault. It was those bad people." She seemed to be close to tearing up as well, but she increased the pace of her brisk walk instead.

"…I made you worry…" Isao sniffed.

"That is natural for a mother! We are always worried." She said with a forced smile.

"I ran from home…" Isao felt so ashamed.

"Why did you run?" She asked while holding his head in her chest.

"B-because… you were angry… Because I'm a bad kid…" He said with hot tears running down his face. His nose was running just as badly.

"You ran because of our fight?" It seemed that she had expected it, but it was still tearing her apart. "You aren't a bad kid Isao. It was my fault… Adults sometimes say things they don't mean and don't say the things they do." Her hair fell into his face as she lowered her chin on his head comfortingly.

"D-don't you hate me too?"

"Why would I ever hate you?" She shook her head. "We will go back to our home and make up like we always do. The other kids will also be worried if we don't come back with smiles, you know?"

Isao could not smile. His face wouldn't obey him at all. But even if he couldn't express it anymore, he poured all his feelings into mother's arms. He wanted her to know that he loved her just like a real mother… He wanted her to know that…

* * *

"!" Collingwood grasped the table in front of him with enough force to slightly break the designer furniture. His face was covered in sweat.

How could he still feel her arms around his body…?

With still tired hands he felt his way around the plate for a glass of water. When he found it he hastily gulped it all down in one go. The glass went down with a loud 'thunk' as he let himself slump over.

"Another bad dream?" Caster's quiet voice was reaching his ears from a distance. She was sitting on top of the bar counter (and to Collingwood's relief completely dressed). Her lilac hair was a bit fluffed up. She had apparently just dried it. "It seems you never go a night without them."

"Is that how it looks to you?" He rubbed his sleepy face to wake himself up. "I would consider this one of my happier dreams." He smiled weakly.

Caster did not return the smile. She mustered him with serious eyes. Then she finally tore her gaze away and pulled out a comb to take care of her hair.

"If that is how you choose to see it." Then she would not object. That was what her dismissive attitude told him. "There are three queen sized bedrooms and yet you still linger on the couch. I would have bad dreams too if I was so unkind to my own body." She added a much more lighthearted quip.

Instead of acknowledging her (pretty accurate) words, he instead looked at the rising sun. It really had dawned already.

"You've been in there for a while, huh?" He asked while yawning unintentionally.

"It was very pleasant." She replied with a smile.

"At least one of us had a good sleep then."

"W-who said I fell asleep?" Caster was caught off guard for once.

"Just a guess." Collingwood smirked.

"Ahem." Caster cleared her throat and fixed the rest of her hair with magic. The comb was completely for show. "Instead of making such assumptions, perhaps you would like to hear about this." She jumped off the counter and posed like she was addressing an audience. "Currently there is a noticeable disturbance in the ley lines."

"Really? I don't feel anything-"

"No interruptions from the peanut gallery please." She raised her hand theatrically. "I would hazard a guess that this is the result of a clash between Servants at one of the main intersections." Her words were much too confident for a mere guess.

"I see. So someone is using their Sunday for some wetwork." He tried to scratch his stubble, but remembered that he was shaved. "So it's either someone who doesn't abide by the rules or they are doing it somewhere without any witnesses."

"My thoughts exactly. Which would limit the possible locations to a mere handful." Caster nodded approvingly. "We should also take into account that such a clash would be quite noticeable to us even without a ley line fluctuation. Yet I feel naught whatsoever."

"Meaning…?" He didn't follow.

"They must have sealed off the battlefield from outside observation. Suppression of mana to the outside. In other words: a well established workshop."

Now he got what she was trying to imply. Even for a talented magus, establishing such a great workshop on foreign ground in the few days since the start of the war was highly improbable. Caster could create such a space thanks to her class, but modern magi were not so powerful.

"Rézny is a combat type. I doubt he could do something this elaborate on the fly." Collingwood surmised. "The same applies to Derickson probably."

"I agree~" She clapped her hands ever so playfully. "Out of the few Masters we know there is no doubt which would fit that description the most."

"The Tohsaka clan." He had come to the same conclusion as her apparently. "So someone attacked them in their own turf?" That Master must have been unbelievably arrogant. Or perhaps they were lured into a trap.

"Are you not allied with their mistress?" Caster closed one eye and looked at him sarcastically.

"It's a ceasefire, I told you." He muttered with a disgruntled look. "I won't be running to her aid or anything."

"Oh my. I hadn't even considered such a strategy. You must really worry about your friends." Caster acted surprised.

"…" He sighed in reply and moved to his bag to search it for some new herbs for his shoulder. They were all out…

"I am fine with sparing ourselves the investigation, but we would do well to observe their movement from here on out. If they seem especially desperate, then we may have a hint towards the strength of their attacker."

"That won't be necessary." He denied her casually and took an old bottle of disinfecting lotion out of the bag. It would have to do.

"You seem quite certain of that." She spun one of her ribbons around her finger as she thought it through.

"Yeah." He nodded. "Right now we need to think of some counter-measures for Rézny and Derickson. We don't even know the class of that odd Servant."

"I have something else I would like to clarify first."

"I already told you, it's fine. Leave the Tohsaka issue to me-"

"Don't make assumptions so easily." She shook her finger. "Lest you wish to appear foolish again." She added with a smile.

"…fine." He had changed his clothes with a dull look and then took a cigarette from his pack and put it into his mouth. As usual it stayed unlit.

"I would like to move to the edge of the city for this little experiment. There is an abandoned mining building at one of the nearby mountains."

Collingwood wondered when and how she had obtained that information, but Caster always seemed to be well informed about everything.

"Let us take a little trip there today~" For some reason she seemed more excited for the trip than anything else.

"I'd rather look for info on the other Masters…" Her disappointed expression was simply unfair. "…but if you think it's important." He twisted his face and pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. "We can't use your Gates in broad daylight though."

"Ehehe, I had hoped you would say so." She was absolutely delighted.

* * *

"I can't believe you didn't go into spirit form." Collingwood covered his face with one hand.

"Where would be the fun in that? Travel is something to be experienced with your own eyes and ears~!" She happily hopped across the grassy hill. They had just exited the bus that had gotten them to the edge of town. Although this was a less busy line on a Sunday morning, they were still the center of quite some attention.

All the people around them had stared at Caster's eccentric outfit with unbound curiosity. It didn't help that she would stand on the seats every time she saw something interesting pass by the window. At those times she really seemed to be just the teenage girl she appeared to be.

"For crying out loud… at least change your clothes into something less attention grabbing. If rumor spreads about this someone might figure out who we are." He reprimanded her carefree behavior, but he knew that those words fell on deaf ears.

"Your trench coat is at least a dozen times more repulsive, would you not agree?" She replied as they reached the old abandoned miners' building.

"It's really cloudy, so nobody would- Wait what do you mean by repulsive?!"

She stopped his words and body at the same time with one outstretched arm. The mine entrance was parallel to the main building, but they weren't moving any closer.

"Did you notice it yet?" She asked with a less casual tone.

"Notice what?" He had really no idea.

"Hm. So I was correct." She jumped much higher than any human girl should be able to and then landed on the top of a hill of sand and rocks that had been excavated from the mine tunnels.

Collingwood followed her as fast as he could and stopped in front of her. Now he finally felt something. It wasn't strong. In fact he would never have noticed if Caster hadn't made him suspicious of it. There was a light nagging feeling at the corner of his perception. Like a shadow that was always at the corner of one's vision, but once one turned, there was nothing.

"It is frightening to think that you seem to unperturbed." Caster said with a pained smile.

"Are you alright?" He asked as he saw her shaking hands.

"For now. But staying at this border for too long will prove fatal for my porcelain skin." She joked.

"Huh?" He had to make sure he didn't just fall for one of her pranks. Seeing her uncomfortable expression was proof enough though. "What border are we talking about?" The city's?

"I am uncertain of its origin, but there is a powerful barrier in place." She took a few deep breaths and stretched forward her left hand. As it moved through the seemingly unresisting air, something horrible happened.

Her hand started to disintegrate starting from the fingers!

"Shit!" He reflexively grabbed the smaller girl by the shoulders and pulled her back. A moment later they were sliding down the sand hill and stopped at its foot.

"Ungh… that went beyond my expectations." Caster closed one eye in pain, but never broke her smile. Her hand rematerialized with time, reforming like it had never left. Servants boasted some impressive regeneration as long as they had a source of prana.

"What was that?!" He was much more concerned than her it seemed.

"An anti-Servant barrier." She looked at her regenerating hand. "No that would be an understatement. A barrier only keeps one out. This is a field that ends our very existence." She theorized.

"How is that possible? Did someone set up their base in that mine?" He frantically went through explanations.

"Oh no, I must have failed to make myself clear. This is not the only spot." She titled her head apologetically. "This border covers the entirety of the city limits."

Collingwood's eyes widened.

"So… you can't leave the city?"

"No Servant should be able to. This seems to only apply for us, seeing how you did feel almost no discomfort at traversing that space." She explained calmly.

"I can leave the city, but you can't?"

"If my interpretation is correct, which we should certainly not put to the test, the moment you cross that border our contract will end." She grabbed his hand with the Command Seals and inspected them. All three stars were still there.

"H-how could that be?"

"If I had to make an educated guess, I would blame this phenomenon on the range of the Grail according to its position." She playfully pushed his hand into his pocket and dusted off his trench coat.

"The Grail is a physical thing?" He had never heard of this before.

"Of course. How else would you channel such a powerful ritual?" She furrowed her brows as if she was lecturing a child.

"Then where is it?" He cupped his mouth with one hand uneasily.

"Impossible to tell. It might not even be on our same plain of existence." She shrugged.

"Then whatever the Grail is… it only has a limited range."

"Exactly!" She nodded encouragingly.

"But it could force the Command Seals on me half across the world." He protested.

"Compared to copying and upholding a Heroic Spirit's existence that is a relatively unimpressive feat. A mere pre-show performance."

"Then why would our contract-" He realized before she even said anything. A Servant faded away if their contract was ended. If this barrier around the city was the Grail's zone of influence, then leaving it was the same as cutting the string that connected their fate.

"It is as you imagine." Her long ribbons fluttered in the wind that was trapped in the gorge. She looked strangely relaxed. "This could be used to our advantage."

"I guess." He saw the possibilities of knowing this at least. Ryouko Tohsaka had not told him of this, but he could assume that she was aware. The same didn't necessarily apply to the other Masters though. "So there are differences from the previous Grail Wars after all."

"How do you mean?" Caster looked at him curiously.

"Don't you know about the other wars?"

"Really now Master, you should know this much already. A Heroic Spirit is summoned from the Throne of Heroes to participate, but we do not retain memories of these wars. All I know is the information handpicked for me by _this_ Grail." She treated him like a thickheaded child.

"It's not been very consistent." He replied a bit sulky. "There are so few differences that…" He stopped himself.

"Ah. The expression of a changed man. I look forward to your grand realization."

"Then why are you walking off?" He squinted his eyes. Her black and purple dress fluttered as she walked down the slope and into the area of the gorge. She so obviously didn't think he came up with anything important…

"Do not fret Master. You will get your time to shine… eventually." She snickered. "First I would like to take care of our second task though."

"Another secret barrier?" He asked half-heartedly and climbed down as well.

"Not remotely close. Are you even trying~?" She spun around and leaned forward just as he caught up to her. He instinctively pulled back. She extended her hand towards his chest…

"!"

"These here…" She pointed a needle upwards in her fingers. "How do they work?"

"That's all?" Collingwood exhaled. For a moment he had thought she was going to do something drastic, but she had just taken one of his needles.

"After seeing your desperate actions in our last battle I could not help but notice their peculiar effects." She did seem intrigued. "This is what a magus would refer to as 'Mystic Code', is it not?" She really didn't consider herself a magus. The whole magician shtick was perhaps more serious than he thought.

"That's right." He snatched the needle back and held it up in the weak sunlight. It reflected the rays unnaturally. "My old mentor helped me create them." He felt somewhat nostalgic now.

"Based on a magus' Origin, a weapon or tool that complements your style is crafted." She summarized what she knew. "May I ask what your Origin is, Master?" She was aware how personal that question was to a real magus. The Origin of one's soul was the same as the soul itself. It defined a person. Sharing it with just anyone would lead to nothing but downfall. Magi hated sharing knowledge, especially their personal research.

"It's…" He felt a strong hesitation. Did he really trust Caster that much? He could not agree to that. If anything he had _less_ reason to trust her than most of his enemies. At least he knew their objective and names.

She looked sympathetic… she looked innocent.

He had trusted people before, it never went well.

Those deep purple eyes had a hidden depth. He could not treat her like a normal person. She was neither a friend nor a true ally. They just shared the same objective and even that was doubtful.

What should he do?

His palms were sweaty and he could not speak up.

"Haha." She laughed faintly. "What am I doing, asking you to trust me, if I cannot bring myself to do the same?" She wondered self-derisively. Her arms were crossed behind her back and she looked up to Collingwood in a carefree manner. "There is no need to go so very far out of our unmoving paths."

His heart convulsed. In an instant he felt like he had lost something precious. It would slip through his hand in another heartbeat.

 _Grab._

He couldn't let go before he even understood what it was!

"This is unexpected." She said with a confused smile.

His hand was on her head. Even if he did not move, the gesture was awfully self-explanatory.

"Are you attempting to comfort me?" She asked disbelieving.

Was he? His hand had moved on its own.

"I.." He swallowed. "I want to trust you." He forced out.

"A precious sentiment." She replied without taking him seriously. With tender fingers she moved his rough hand off her head and gently returned it to his pocket just like she did with the other. "Shall we get going then?"

She moved past him with an unreadable mask.

" **Binding**!"

"?" She stopped in her tracks.

"My Origin is… _Binding_." He repeated with less force.

Caster touched her chest without turning around. Then she exhaled.

"You are truly amusing. I do not regret making a contract with you." That's when she finally faced him with a brilliant smile.

For a single moment Collingwood felt that it would not be so bad to be fooled by this girl.


	21. Ties that bind II

**Easter is a thing right? If not, happy weekend to everyone ~  
**

* * *

 **Ties that bind II  
**

* * *

"Binding, eh?" Caster balanced on top of a rock and muttered to herself.

"That's right." Collingwood confirmed again.

"Interesting. In that case I might have a clue as to the way your Mystic Code works." She seemed convinced.

It wasn't such an easy guess to make. Collingwood doubted that she could really tell from just that one fight against Derickson and hearing the type of his Origin. For a Caster she was fairly inexperienced with magecraft. Her 'magic' was almost too fantastical and somehow intuitive.

With a smirk she saw through his doubts.

"Still, I would like to put this peculiar magic to the test." She clapped her hands and urged him to move to the other end of the gorge next to the mine.

"Peculiar?" He felt insulted somehow, but still moved where she suggested. "What kind of test are we talking about?"

"One that will show us the extent of your magecraft's limits, I suppose." She knelt down, making her wide skirt touch the rocks below her, and then aimed one finger at him. A photon bullet shot his way in an instant.

"Wha-?!" He dodged to the side at the last second. It barely missed his shoulder.

"Oh my. You really dodged." She said with a curious look.

"Of course I did. At least warn me before shooting randomly." He squinted his eyes and pulled out a handful of needles. By now he could tell how this would go.

"That is why I gave you a warning shot." She held her cheek and looked down on him in a relaxed manner. "I want you to protect yourself as best as you can Master. Do not worry; I will not attempt to kill you."

He pressed his feet deeply into the earth and tensed up. The way she said it made it sound like she could change her mind at any time. Such a test of force was rather straightforward though. He had expected her to find a more elegant solution.

"I will shoot on three! One, two…" But before she said the third number a volley of purple bullets already flew Collingwood's way.

"Tsk.." He clicked his tongue at her feint and immediately stabbed two needles into the nearby heaps of excavated rocks. Not a moment too soon either, because the light bullets were already raining down on him. It was nearly impossible to dodge something so fast even when one was prepared. Unsurprisingly a dozen of them hit his body and led to small indents all across the rocks. He didn't take any visible damage.

"Oho~" Caster hummed in acknowledgement. Right after she shot a magic missile that was twice as strong and fast his way.

Collingwood tanked it once again, but this time the first rock that had been penetrated by his needles exploded to dust! The needle fell to the ground uselessly and lost its green glow. Just as he took a glance at the destruction, a second and third missile hit him in the chest. The second needle was flung off the exploding rock and now he felt some vibrations go through his body. That was too close for comfort.

"You are taking these blows quite well. I wonder if I should increase the pace?" She twirled her left index finger a few times playfully.

She was going to dial it up. He didn't have time to think. His left hand moved lightning fast and the needles kept hitting solid rocks around him. Despite that they always stabbed into the formations effortlessly.

"Switching to rapid fire~" She sang from above and the same instant he lost sight of her behind the rain of bullets. The first rock exploded in an instant, so Collingwood instinctively put up his arms. The second half of the rain hammered down on him and he was pushed back, then another rock exploded. "Hmhm." Caster analyzed the situation.

'Too fast.' He realized that he couldn't keep up with just single spells. He twisted his fingers and then summoned some prana from his Magic Crest. "Link chain." The needles inside the sea of rocks all glowed at the same time now.

Heavy magic rain covered every inch of his front repeatedly, but this time he was not pushed back and like a chain reaction all the rocks surrounding him crumbled one by one. He twisted his hand to the side and all the needles around him flew back into his grasp.

"A chain spell with almost no incantation. To create this much on the fly, perhaps Mystic Codes are more impressive than I expected." She didn't appear as impressed as she talked. But nonetheless she finally rose from her squatting position. "The warm up is over Master. Please show me the serious you." There was a small twinkle in her right eye.

"Knock yourself out." He replied dryly. As long as he didn't run out of links he wouldn't be in any trouble. Especially due to his backup.

"I wonder if you understand your situation fully." She shrugged and simultaneously shot a heavy missile through a Gate to her side.

"!" Collingwood turned around, but the shot hit him straight in the back mid-turn. The force was so strong that it staggered him. Several kilometers away a seashell catalyst was smashed apart inside the hotel.

"You have been oddly calm during this, so I assumed you created some backups that would protect you from lethal injuries. They did not get triggered otherwise after all." Caster's eyes were turning rather scary. "Undo those safety measures, if you would? We can't get any results if you do not take this seriously."

"…got it." He felt a bead of sweat on his brow. The fact that his catalyst at home had been destroyed meant her last shot could have destroyed his organs. She was not playing around at all. It would be better to play along or else she would keep pushing the envelope. He raised his hands and a low tingling in his chest accompanied the cut of the links.

"Are you now utterly defenseless?" She asked in a sweet voice.

It was a bit surreal, but he knew that he could use a Command Seal just in time to make her stop in case this was a trap. Although he didn't want to think of this as a scheme…

"Yes." He replied curtly. He looked up to her and- "UNGH!?" A shot so fast and strong that he could feel it pierce his chest hit him the moment their eyes met. The air left his lungs and he could barely feel anything for a good few moments. With shaking hands he held his chest where his coat had been torn open. There was no blood.

"I'd appreciate it if you did not try to fool me." Caster crossed her arms. "Remember my class."

Shit. She had realized that he had kept one safety net even now… Nothing got by her it seemed. Now that the last catalyst was down, he was truly defenseless to a deadly blow. His heart rate picked up. Without waiting for another move on her part he threw more needles into the surroundings. The links were instantly established.

"That desperation is more appropriate." She nodded and flicked her fingers. Light orbs started appearing all around her. "I got a feeling for how far I can push your defenses, but I would like to see what you can truly do."

"And what would that be?"

"Land a hit on me." Caster replied with a smile.

"Huh?" He felt the strength drain from his legs. She couldn't have been serious.

"I am exceptionally serious." She replied to his inner thoughts which must have been written plainly on his face. "Do your utmost now, Master. I will be cheering you on." She chuckled.

"Have you lost your-" Midsentence he rolled to the side as the ground he just stood on was turned into a crater. An Astral card boosted bullet had crashed into it.

The next few shots too were boosted, but then a few weaker, yet faster shots were mixed in. Collingwood jumped over a hill and then crashed down to dodge another volley. It felt like he was under heavy fire by a death squad or something. And he couldn't even rely on cover, as the moment he stopped; a Gate opened behind him and created a new path for him to get shot.

Every second of hesitation, every moment he caught his breath, another structure around him crumbled, another shield was wasted. His defensive options were limited, but Caster had an endless offense. There was only one path to survival.

And it led straight through the domineering girl standing on the high ground!

He managed to block a few photon bullets with his needles without wasting another link. They varied in speed, but with his adrenaline boosted reflexes he really managed to keep up. Two needles hit the magic missiles and flung them into the earth which threw it into the air as if blasted by a grenade.

He rolled behind a rock and the moment the Gate opened he threw a handful of needles through it. Of course he was hit by the bullets, but the exchange would have been worth it if Caster was hit as well. These Gates were not just one-way!

"Hehe, I appreciate your quick thinking." Caster called out to him. He looked over his cover and saw her hold the needles between her fingers. "Albeit predictable, you gave a valiant attempt."

Superhuman speed. How was he supposed to hit someone so far above his existence?

He wiped the sweat and dirt from his brows so it wouldn't drip into his eyes. If he rushed straight at her, she would focus all her fire on him. If he created a chain long enough to last through at least 10 seconds of fire, perhaps he could have climbed up to her and finished it. But a chain that long would take some time to create, even with his needles.

Playing sitting duck would only wear him out more though, so he had no choice. The bullet rain had stopped just for a moment. Collingwood infused the needles in his hand with more prana and mumbled a few lines under his breath. Then he stabbed one into the rock he was leaning against and three more into a nearby tree.

"Have you come up with a strategy?" Her voice echoed throughout the gorge. "I will increase the power of my attack twofold every ten seconds from here on out." She added.

This bordered on sadism. Not even the cruelest of army instructors would go at such a breakneck pace. Yet there was no time to complain. He jumped to the side as he felt the heat of the melting rock next to him. The energy beam had melted straight through it!

Collingwood sprinted across the dry rocky path and straight for Caster's location. The girl was standing relaxed as the dozens of purple lines shot down on him. Several grazed his body, but none hit him directly. He kept alternating his directions and ducked under a heavy explosion to his left. With an athletic jump he held on to a tree branch and then flung himself up to the next. From there he threw half a dozen needles at Caster.

"Too slow." She simply flicked her finger and the one needle that actually reached her was smashed into the rock pillar below her. Her counter-attack was vicious. The tree Collingwood stood on was completely skewered and torn apart. He had barely managed to jump off and held on to the cliff next to it. Using only his right arm to pull himself up, he blocked the bullets with his left one. The tree in the distance he had initially linked to was felled from the cracks in its trunk. "Three, two, one... amplified." She counted down.

"What the hell…" He grumbled as he had pulled himself to the higher level. Her attack had already gotten so forceful that a tree was just destroyed on impact. And that was just the first ten second boost. At least they were on eye-level now. The distance between the cliff and the pillar she stood on could be overcome with just one long jump.

He took a deep breath and got into position. She could tell from his movements what would come next. But that made him an incredibly easy target. With one hand to the ground he went forward, ready to sprint.

"Very well. Take that chance." She encouraged him. Her left hand was raised and her palm glowing. Her next shot was probably strong enough to blast away his remaining defenses all at once.

If he wanted to prove himself, no if he wanted to get out of this deadly situation, he needed to rush forward. That's how it had always been. Running away was the last ditch effort, but rushing into his enemy was the true last solution, the only thing he knew how to do. Considering her sheer power, Caster might actually injure him severely if he wasn't cautious. But he was not the type of man that could win with caution alone.

"Here I come!" He yelled and sprinted forward. His coat fluttered behind as he had let it go. Caster shot a beam towards him, but knowing exactly where she was aiming (his body), he could move just enough to the left of it to feel its heat against his side. Wherever it went, there was nothing but destruction in its path.

Right after dodging that hit, a shower of smaller bullets assailed him. He deflected a few, but it was pointless. There were too many. He could only push through the continuous hits and reach the edge of the cliff. His last defensive link went down just as he jumped forward.

"How unfortunate." Caster said theatrically and then moved her hands apart. Dozens of purple chains appeared from the gorge and tried to tie Collingwood down. He had expected as much though!

In his left hand he held a small pebble, one that he had just picked up as he had gotten into position to sprint. He _crushed_ it in his hand. With a low rumble something happened in response. Caster looked surprised as the pillar she stood on was collapsing! The needles she had deflected as well as those that were never aimed at her were transferring the brittleness of the pebble quite well.

The pillar collapsed forward, straight towards Collingwood. The chains that had reach for him dissipated and fell back down as Caster's concentration was lost. She was falling right towards him of course, so he was finally in range.

"Well done." She commended him for some reason instead of panicking. Her jump power was superhuman and she used it to move above him. Mid-jump she kicked off his shoulder and twirled around to softly land on the cliff.

"Concept overwrite…" Collingwood whispered and lifted his fist. Inside it was a small white object. "… _weight change_."

It was a feather.

"Come again?" She raised a brow.

The magus didn't reply and instead kicked off the collapsing pillar. Against all logic he flew several meters into the air at once! His fist was shaking as he kept ascending. His veins were pulsing erratically. The spell was straining his brain… He… couldn't hold… any… more…

"Release!" He yelled and the weight returned to his body. And to Caster's surprise he was right above her! He crashed down at full force, but even as he fell he still threw needles at her.

"Hmph." She jumped back to dodge the rain of sharp objects, but then felt something hold her feet down. She was sinking into the ground… "This heat." She realized that one of the needles had been stuck in the molten rocks from her previous attacks. "Just how far did you plan this chain ahead?" She wondered with a grin.

"Haaaah!" He flew right through her counter attack of magic missiles. Several hit him painfully and he actually felt it this time. The few links he had created in the ground were only made with soft earth, so they barely served any use.

Caster pulled her feet from the melting ground and hastily created a barrier below herself, so she wouldn't sink again. Collingwood crashed into her the next moment, but she didn't seem bothered. Of course another barrier had been created right in front of her.

"You used it…" He smiled as he was flung off the barrier and rolled over the dusty ground.

"The rule was to hit _me_ , not my barrier Master." She shook her finger in denial.

"Doesn't matter." He pushed himself up and opened his fist. The feather flew away in the strong breeze. With a ferocious expression he ran forward, straight for her again.

"This berserker like rush is getting tiresome." She sighed and created a few dozen barriers and opened two Gates around him. In a combined attack of beams from both directions he could barely manage to avoid getting his limbs scorched off. The moment he fell forward to dodge another attack he had reached her barriers already.

But he did not stop moving.

The barriers that should have stopped him… burst open!

"How is this-?!" Caster seemed truly shocked for the first time as he advanced beyond her defenses.

"One crack in a wall will set it all crumbling down!" The first barrier he had been flung off of was covered in a green seal that only lit up now. The barrier itself crumbled just as a beam hit Collingwood straight into the back.

"I see." She smiled as he finally reached her. " _That_ is the extent of your magecraft."

His fist was right in front of her face…

And then hit his own nose at full force.

" _Bwargh_!" He was flung over and hit the back of his head on the rocks with a painful sound.

At the last second an Astral Gate had appeared before Caster and Collingwood's punch came out at the other end, which happened to be right in front of his face. He shouldn't have swung with all his strength. His bleeding nose was saying as much. The back of his head was burning too.

"To think you could link similar concepts in the immediate area just by completely analyzing its structure. Those barriers are far too simple granted, but this is almost terrifying." She was quite chatty now that he was groveling before her.

That was until his finger twitched. Ten needles that had been scattered around her all came flying back to his hand. Only that there was one obstacle in their way: Caster.

"I would prefer not to break these finely crafted designs." She shook her head as the needles were all stuck inside Astral Cards that had been placed behind her and stuck to the air, just outside of Collingwood's view. "Alas, taking away a child's toy will make it only crankier." She flicked her fingers and the cards exploded. The needles were flung away so far that Collingwood had no way to summon them back.

He was out of options. If he reached into his shirt now to grab the remaining needles she would simply shoot them out of his hand. He was done.

"Haah… huff… You aren't playing nice either… So I should be allowed to be a bit cranky." He held his bleeding nose and raised his torso up. His body hurt inside and out.

"Even after I held back so much for your sake, Master?" She acted troubled and then squatted down next to him. From seemingly out of thin air she handed him a handkerchief.

"That's the minimum I'd expect." He said sardonically. "Don't try to downplay my win too much."

"Hm?" She blinked a few times and acted like she had not heard right. "Is it the blood loss? Do we need to call for a medical practitioner to check on your cranium?"

"It sure hurts… but I'm not delusional." He moved his hand forward slowly.

"Touching me now will not qualify as a victory I am afraid." She smiled sarcastically.

"Just getting something out of your hair." He replied with an equally wry smile.

In his hand was… the feather.

"…" Caster's expression turned rigid.

"Must've passed your attention when you kicked my ass." He straightened the crumpled and blood covered feather. "I guess it's kind of cheating, but this is _my_ blood that 'hit' you."

"Oh very clever." Caster said with a low tone and a sulky expression. Yes, she was _actually_ sulking.

He felt almost bad about it. It was a stretch to consider his spilt blood part of his body, but there was no way for him to achieve a miracle otherwise. Caster was just too strong.

"How troubling." She touched the spot where the feather had touched her and averted her eyes. "I will acknowledge your skill. Even if I held back far too much, you still tried your best."

Was that praise or a backhanded justification? He felt relieved either way.

"Do not lie there like a beheaded hen. This is not a good place to rest your weary body." She extended a hand that he gratefully took. Without effort she pulled him up and then handed him his damaged coat. "Let me take a look at that as well." She pulled away the handkerchief and inspected his nose. "Not broken at the very least, but it seems to be swelling."

"Thanks, I noticed." He exhaled.

* * *

Farther back by the mining building they sat down on a bench next to one of the healthy trees that hadn't been destroyed in their little test.

"So to summarize, your 'Binding' Origin is more specifically 'Overlapping' of concepts." Caster said while sitting cross-legged next to him.

"…" He was speechless.

"Hit the nail on the head, did I not?" She snickered.

"More or less." He swallowed a spiteful reply. There was no reason to be pretentious now.

"You use several types of spells, but they all underlie similar rules. For instance there is the single link version that allows you to bind any one concept to yourself or something else. It seems you are fond of defensive applications."

"It's more that 'durability' is an easy concept. It doesn't take much to bind that." He explained hesitantly. Speaking openly about one's magecraft was not the magus way.

"By use of your Mystic Code you can easily overlap the durability of any object with your own. Fascinating."

"If I apply it directly with my hands it is more precise, but it takes too much time during a fight."

"Indeed. I was surprised that you managed to supersede my barrier so fast though." She tilted her head.

"That was a desperate move…" He said while adjusting the band-aid on his nose.

"I called it terrifying, but that would only apply to a larger scale. You are clearly not competent enough to do anything that would break the laws of the world."

"The laws of the world?" He looked at her perplexed.

"Do no mind that." She shrugged. "The basic first version had the disadvantage of actively switching in time after the first linked vessel was destroyed. It seems your second spell is a chain of linked concepts to remedy that."

"True. The chain just automatically reacts to whatever way I coded the spell." He nodded slowly. For example if he had implanted that the next link should start up after the previous one was broken, the chain would react that way. There were other applications, but this was the most basic one.

"It surprises me how efficient these spells are. Repeated use and yet your prana is barely exhausted."

"The more complex the concept I want to link gets… the more strain it puts on me." He admitted.

"I wonder what classifies complexity in your mind." She cupped her chin with one hand.

"Trying to link living things other than myself or imposing some concept on a soul… those are impossible for me." He stated with a distant look.

"Is that so? I did not expect such a limitation to exist." She glanced at him with a hint of suspicion.

"Believe it or don't. Doesn't matter to me." He replied coldly.

"I won't press you. My curiosity has been piqued all the same. By my understanding of your abilities, this should apply…" She leaned towards him and extended her hand to his waist. Collingwood froze up in confusion. After a moment she pulled off his belt.

"What now-?" He glared at her.

"This is the 'Overlap' you create." She completely ignored his irritation and showed off the belt's strap. There were several small holes in the leather for the pin to lock into. She pushed the pin into one. "That is what happens when you apply one of your needles. You tie the concept to something else and hold it in place."

To see it explained with a belt and some easy to follow words was kind of disheartening.

"Do you not think it is odd?" She set the belt aside and seemed to search for something else. Her lilac bangs fell into her face as she rummaged through his coat without asking. At this point he just let her do her thing. A needle soon ended up in her hand and she raised her frilly skirt. "Let us take this as another example."

He looked on with slight embarrassment as she pulled her skirt far up and then folded the frills into layers. She proceeded to stab the needle through several layers at once.

"This is what I assumed your 'Binding' actually meant." She said deep in thought. "Rather than following a pre-destined cage… or to simply hold in place, I figured that it would reshape the concepts to find new combinations…" Her words trailed off as she kept changing up the position of the layers of her skirt.

"Sorry, I don't get what you want from me." He said with a lowered gaze.

"It seems I simply misunderstood the true potential of your magecraft. Do not feel regret, you are already plenty impressive as is." She was comforting him in a patronizingly kind way. At least he felt like that was the case.

"Not impressive enough…" He let his shoulders slump and folded his hands while looking at the dry yellow grass around them. So many times had he wished he could do more. Some things might never have happened otherwise.

Caster could feel his blue mood and freed her legs to let them dangle off the bench. She leaned back and smiled.

"To think you would truly attempt to hit me. I have underestimated your resolve, just a tiny bit."

"Why's that?" Collingwood didn't look up.

"After our first meeting I had simply assumed you did not appreciate women to take part in battle." She said teasingly.

"That's not true." He denied her firmly.

"Why then were you so distressed by my current appearance?" She tapped her fingers on the old wood and asked softly.

"…it's not because you are a woman." He dodged the question.

"Then what is the actual reason?" She wouldn't let it go. "Do not tell me my beauty simply blinded you~?"

"As if. You sure take a lot of pride in this appearance. Didn't you say this wasn't your true form?" He shot back.

"Ahaha, did I say so? Then it must be true." Compared to him, she was completely unreadable. Everything she said could have been a half-truth or a half-lie.

To him though, this was somehow comforting. She wasn't taking the world too seriously. Something he was sorely lacking in the last three years.

"Don't sulk again once I say this."

"I never sulk!" She objected.

"Suuure. The actual reason I felt so much hesitation to fight alongside you…" He tried to express it in a friendly manner, but it wouldn't work. "It's because you look like a child."

"Explain." The words dripped out of her mouth like poison. Her smile was that of an assassin more than a magician. He had expected as much.

"After being around you more I feel like that was an overreaction. But you really look more like a teenager than an adult."

"Youthfulness is not a sin."

"I know. I also knew there are heroes that were just children in the legends they appeared in. It's not like I didn't know that, but…" He sighed. "I swore never to harm kids."

"That is all?" She seemed somewhat disappointed.

"Yes, that's it." He confirmed. "Even if you are some legendary hero or villain, it just didn't sit right with me. You could probably kill a thousand of me with ease, but if you got hurt, that would be my fault for dragging you into this."

"Master, that is a rather selfish viewpoint." She replied with a pained smile.

"I realize that. So when I heard you were not who you appeared to be it was a real relief. Sorry." He clutched his hands tightly.

"I am relieved that you have gotten over such a problematic misunderstanding. But please consider that some of our enemies might well be children too." She pointed out the issue.

"I- I know." When the time came he would do anything in his power to win. That was what he had decided from the start. If his wish was fulfilled, then perhaps his sins would…

"Did something happen to a child you were close to?" Caster asked firmly. She could read his expressions that far, huh?

"A lot of people got hurt because of me. Several times. Again and again." He admitted. The freshest of those memories was... "After I ran from the Clocktower and became a Hermit, there was this village in Peru."

Caster kept listening while she slowly moved her legs below the bench. Her purple eyes were calm, but attentive.

"I didn't really get along with the villagers or the locals in general. We made some deals and I was allowed to live in the forest." He recollected with a distant expression. "One day I ran into that boy… we were hunting for the same prey. He was a lot more skilled than me. I just abused my magecraft to hunt easily, but he could actually _hit_ something with a bow." For a moment he felt a smirk creep up his mouth. When did this turn into a fond memory?

"Was he one of those villagers you had agreements with?"

"It's complicated. His foster mother was the old village crone. They were outcasts." He explained. "So we had something in common… I guess." He hesitated as he got to a realization. "He was gentle despite how he was treated. I never saw him complain or curse someone a single time."

"That sounds like the ideal victim." Caster said with an understanding voice.

"Yeah. He was beaten within an inch of his life almost every few weeks. He was… possessed by a snake spirit or something. His mother treated him like a newborn god's vessel." He swallowed. "But even though he was abnormal and reviled he could still smile whenever I visited."

Caster tightened her grip on the bench.

"Just before this Holy Grail War started I was sniffed out by the Church. Some undercover Enforcer had sent a few Executors on my trail." His voice turned bitter at the memory of Citro and his partners. "They killed everyone in the village."

"The boy?"

"He survived. He was with me when it happened." That was the only ray of light in this tragedy. "I took him to Lima and left him with an old acquaintance."

"I am certain he is doing fine."

"I hope so… or else I'll come for Banin myself." He grumbled. The drunkard of a bar owner was weirdly reliable, but he still couldn't trust him completely.

"Then this tale had a happy ending after all." Caster commented with furrowed brows.

"No… Everyone died because of me. And Satu will never see his mother again… he was driven out of his home and into a cruel world." He gritted his teeth.

"Master, you said yourself that his life was miserable even before you ever met."

"So what?!" He got loud.

"So… you were there for him when it counted. You were one of the few good things in his life and still can be." She replied gently.

"You don't get it. If I had never met him then those people would still be alive… if I was never there then he could still live the way from before!" He rose up from the bench and kicked a big rock with all his might, rolling it over.

"So those were the pitiful eyes you wished to force upon me?" She asked with crossed arms and looked at his hunched over back. "Your survivor's guilt is nobody's fault, but your own."

"You don't know anything about me, so don't pretend that you care!" He barked without turning around.

"A stubborn mule will always carry the heaviest burden. I hope that you will not collapse before you reach the end of the path." She replied unfazed. In such moments he really felt that she was a lot more mature than him.

Even knowing that he was in the wrong for yelling at her, there was no way he could turn back. There was no path but forward. If he doubted himself then he would crumble just as she said.

A ribbon fluttered in the air.

Caster was already advancing past him without issue. Towards Matsumae.

She turned her head back.

"Just remember that you will not walk alone this time." The deep empathy in her eyes was putting him to shame.

He put on the coat with a big hole in its center and nodded. That was all he could do without apologizing again.

"You had a revelation earlier, before our little sparring match. Do you still remember what it was?"

So that was a 'sparring match' to her? Collingwood felt his burning nose would disagree. But having a direct goal in front of him was a lot better than the alternative. Naturally he remembered what had bothered him so much.

"We need to talk to the overseer." He declared.


	22. Investigation

**The investigation team is back together! Wait, this isn't Inaba...  
**

* * *

 **Investigation**

* * *

Inside the Yukimura shrine one could often hear the sounds of regular grinding and rustling. Every Sunday the temple was completely cleaned up and the furniture moved out of the way for the cleansing. It was a long standing tradition that put a great toil on any part-timer that was crazy enough to sign up for this job.

"Is this really necessary Yukimura-san?" Yuna asked with an unmotivated expression.

"Quit whinin' and keep pullin' instead!" Miss Yukimura was merciless and kept pushing the great box out of the closet. She was basically doing it all on her own, with how little force Yuna used to pull on the other side.

"We did the same thing last week. It just doesn't make sense that everything gathered dust so fast." She hadn't tied her usual twin hair buns today and instead gone for a single large one. It was tied into a white cloth to prevent the dirt and dust from getting into her hair. If only she could have changed out of her shrine maiden uniform too, like the ever carefree priestess of this shrine.

"I don't pay ya to yap!" She retorted and then finally pushed the large box out with Yuna alongside it. "Now where'd that duster go?"

"Phew. This isn't what I expected when I signed up for this job. Physical work is really not my forte." Yuna sighed and sat down on the box (which was indeed a bit dusty). She wiped some sweat from her brow and looked out into the yard. There were a lot of clouds building up at the edge of the city. Maybe it would rain today.

Suddenly her eyes went wide and she raised her head from her supporting hand. Someone had stepped out of the temple.

"Do not worry Archer-dono, I have obtained a map! It will be no trouble to find the station." Koyuki was chatting excitedly with a tall man in a black suit. She held up a folded paper in her hands (probably the map in question).

"What-?" Yuna rose up. "Yukimura-san!"

"Huh? What's the big deal? Found the duster or somethin'?" Her head peeked out of the closet.

"Who… who is that handsome gentleman!? And why is he talking to Koyuki-chan as if they knew each other?" She pointed at them in barely hidden envy.

"Oh right. Didn't tell ya yet. That's Archer-san from the main branch in Kyoto. He's here ta play bodyguard for Yuki-chan."

"B-bodyguard?!" She clasped her mouth with one hand. "Like a prince protecting a princess…"

"Did'cha hit yer head again?" Miss Yukimura was scratching her head and dragged Yuna back just as she was about to run up to the pair.

"Yukimura-san, please let go! It is only proper to introduce myself to someone that visits the shrine!" Yuna said with a shaking smile as she tried to undo the claw like grip of the middle-aged woman.

"Sure sure. You'll get lotsa time to press him later. He's livin' in the attic for now."

"H-h-he lives here?!" Her face turned red from excitement.

"Didn't take ya for the type to chase older guys. Whatever. We got work ta do."

"You simply don't understand the appeal of mature gentleman. That's why you are still single." Yuna pouted as she was handed a duster.

"Didn't see ya flauntin' your boyfriend yet either, right?" A vein popped on her forehead as she enthusiastically pushed her part-timer into the closet.

"My prince will come and find me soon." Yuna replied dreamily.

"Oi, Yuki-chan!" Miss Yukimura walked towards the porch and called out to the duo just as they were about to leave.

"We are off to Jinya now auntie." Koyuki bowed her head in greeting.

"Yeah, ya said somethin' about that yesterday. Just stay away from shady places. I don't wanna have to beat the crap out of another group of punks." She winked and cracked her fists at the same time.

"We will be careful." Koyuki tilted her head. She seemed to think her aunt was joking.

"I will not allow Koyuki-sama to be approached by any hoodlums." Archer guaranteed.

"Well aint'cha reliable?" She crossed her arms and mustered him with discerning eyes. He hid his wide build pretty well behind that suit, but she had to admit that Yuna wasn't wrong about him looking dapper. Depending on how good he could hold his liquor… "Have fun then. My favorite niece's got to enjoy her days off too. Live a little!" She waved them off.

They walked down the many steps to the bus station.

"Atchoo!" Yuna sneezed loudly.

"Got some dust up yer nose?" Miss Yukimura grinned widely as she returned to the inside.

* * *

There was a reason Jinya was often called the entertainment district of Matsumae. The area had an unusual amount of bars, hobby shops and was of course home to the giant sports stadium. Tourists loved the place and aside from the business district there would be no bigger crowds found anywhere else.

This turned out to be quite a problem for the school alliance of Masters, as they had barely managed to find each other on the main plaza. It took Koyuki secretly relying on Sora to get a bird's eye view of the area to finally spot Sano and Rider. After they exchanged greetings and pushed through the crowd to find a sitting spot on some bench they took a breather. The search hadn't even begun, but it already felt like they had struggled a lot.

"This is very worrying." Archer said without changing his expression. His eyes were entirely focused on the rest of the group.

"Agreed." Rider straightened her long braid (she got tired of wearing her hair open when traversing through crowds) and leaned a bit forward. She had been standing against a low red painted wall behind the bench.

"Is something wrong?" Shigechiyo looked left and right in obvious anxiety.

"Calm down Shige. Don't grow tense or you might attract attention." Rider whispered.

That only confirmed Shige's suspicion that they were being watched. But for what reason? Rider and Archer respectively drew attention just by virtue of their looks.

"Can you not feel this presence Sano-senpai?" Koyuki tilted her head curiously.

"Nope. Nothing at all." He lowered his head in defeat. Everybody was capable except for him it seemed.

"There is no doubt that we are in that cowardly Servant's territory." Rider furrowed her brows. "They aren't trying very hard to hide it, but there is also no way to properly track them."

"Do you think that Servant knows we are here?" Shige gulped.

"We were discovered the moment we stepped foot into this street." Archer said quietly.

"Seriously…?" Shige felt a heavy vexation well up in him.

"Uhm… Rider-dono, did you notice those men that looked at us before? I think they might be subordinates to the evil spirit! Their aura was very dark." Koyuki clutched her hands tightly and looked at the warrior woman for confirmation.

"Is that so?" She cupped her chin with one hand. "I didn't notice any presence back then."

"Ahaha… I don't think those guys were pawns of any evil spirit." Shige laughed hollowly. Though there was no doubt that they had impure intentions while ogling these two. He couldn't even blame them too much.

"If the enemy can indeed possess people as we surmised then we will have to realize a way to uncover who is under their control." Archer seemingly adjusted the tie of his suit, but he had actually hidden his mouth behind that action. The fact that he suddenly resorted to such measures must have meant that he could feel the enemy's eye directly on them. Lip reading wasn't out of the question anymore.

"W-well why don't we go towards the stadium then? I think that's a good place to… hang out." Shige suggested. Today there was no game or any big event going on, so the stadium and its surrounding area should have been relatively empty.

"I need to take care of some business today. If you would forgive my rudeness, I would like to separate for now." Archer politely told them that he was leaving.

They all understood what he really meant. Due to his excellent eyes he could keep watch over the entire district easily and give them back-up when necessary.

"Very well. Do not forget to call us if your business is over." Rider nodded in approval.

"Thank you." The tall man walked off, seemingly phasing through the crowd with ease, never touching anyone. His spatial awareness was incredible.

"Then w-would you come with use Yukimura-san?" Shige rubbed his head nervously. Now he was all alone with the girls again.

"I would love to." She smiled nicely and accepted his invitation.

"Do not tarry." Rider moved ahead of them almost naturally.

* * *

"Still nothing?" Shige asked while wiping his sweat with his hands. They had been walking around the entire stadium in a brisk pace. The white walls all looked the same, even if the scenery around them changed. It got so bad that he had wondered if they had accidentally done several laps.

"I cannot grasp that presence." Rider was very irritated.

"Sora could not see anybody suspicious either." Koyuki added with a sad expression.

"I don't think whoever does evil stuff like using other people would be out in the open anyway." Shige tried to cheer her up. "Wasn't there a rule only to fight at night?"

"We should not be naïve. If we display our necks, the executioner will chop our heads off, no matter where the sun stands." Rider's pragmatism was scary.

"What if we catch one of the possessed people then?" Shige suggested what came to mind next.

"A good plan." Rider seemed to agree with that direct approach a little too easily. Perhaps she was impatient as well.

"B-but even if we did, would the enemy let them reveal their master's location?" Koyuki had doubts.

"Can you really not exorcize them?"

"That is… I'm sorry, but I do not know how they are being controlled. I cannot be certain until I tried. If they invade the victim's body I should be able to forcefully push them out, just like with normal spirit possession." Koyuki instinctively touched the seals in her inner pocket. "I want to help those poor people!" Her determination was real though.

"Then we have all the more reason to capture one of those pawns." The blonde Servant raised her hand forward. "To that end I will draw the enemy's attention. They seem unable to perceive me as a Servant directly through the controlled pawns."

"Really? How come?" Shige hadn't even thought of that.

"If they did we would have been followed out of that crowd. Our presence cannot be felt by these normal people, so all the pawns have to go by is appearance." Rider explained with a serious expression.

"So it really was just that you grab people's attention with your looks?!" Shige was taken aback.

"Sano-senpai?" Koyuki looked at his perplexed reaction in wonder.

"It's nothing! Then Rider-san should probably draw the attention while we try to lay a trap for the possessed person that follows her, right?" He changed the topic rapidly.

"No, I would prefer if you did not get involved in this Shige." Rider mildly shook her head and put a hand on his shoulder. "I will lure them out and capture one on my own. Should they not yield any information, I will bring them back for Koyuki's exorcism."

Shige could barely look into her blue eyes. It made sense that she would try to avoid involving him in any fight with this enemy after what had happened last time. He understood that. Yet it made him feel so incredibly useless and weak...

Then he thought of it from the opposite perspective. Didn't she put a lot of trust in him by letting him move on his own? They could get attacked while Rider-san was gone, but she trusted him not to get into trouble!

"Archer-dono says he agrees with that plan." Koyuki passed on his message.

Oh right. Archer was there to watch over them. That's why Rider-san could be so certain of their safety. He sighed.

"I shall bring you their heads!" Rider raised her fist determinedly.

"Please don't kill anyone!" Shige begged her with a rueful smile.

Rider seemed pleased by his backtalk and moved out with long strides. Of course she would catch people's attention like that.

"So should we just wait for her or…?" He talked without looking at Koyuki to his left. "We probably shouldn't just goof off while she is doing something so dangerous." He joked.

"There is actually something… I would like to discuss with you Sano-senpai." Koyuki said with a shy voice.

"W-w-what might that be?" His ears perked up. He should not get his hopes up and yet he felt her eyes on him. It made his skin heat up somehow.

"It's about my brother." Koyuki said hesitantly.

"Oh…" Shige pinched his thigh until it hurt. He needed to focus up! Being with a cute girl had no effect on his serene mind! Not at all. "Your brother, you say?"

"I told you that one of my reasons for coming to Matsumae is to find him. It seems that he was investigating the evil presence that envelopes the city."

"Isn't that just that Servant's doing?"

"I fear not. There is something different…" She grasped for the right words. "It feels very _wrong_ here." That was all she could tell him.

Just great. Not only was he dragged into some magical war between heroes, now this self-declared Onmyouji had to tell him that the city was apparently cursed too! How many days would it take until he saw a real dragon?

"If that is acceptable for you Sano-senpai." She asked him with sincerity. "Would you come with me to investigate?"

"I don't mind." He had no reason to refuse. She seemed determined to do this with or without him, but if he didn't come they would have to split up, making it easier for them to get into a bad situation. "Do you have any idea where he would have gone or why he is hiding from everyone?"

She looked at him as if he had just said something really odd. In fact she seemed to look at him gratefully.

"You think Nii-san is just hiding?" She asked hopefully.

So that was it. Despite her earnest desire to find her brother, Koyuki had also subconsciously considered the very easy conclusion. If someone didn't respond or write home in half a year, things must have been dire. The obvious - but also hasty - conclusion would be to assume that the person was not just missing, but… dead.

The reason Koyuki was so thankful to Shige was for the simple fact that he did not give up on her brother so easily. He smiled sheepishly. Although he considered himself quite pessimistic he also had no reason to imagine the worst.

"I don't know much about exorcists, but don't some jobs take really long? I think I saw that in a movie once. It could even take years sometimes." He just thought about that old movie he had seen, but it really managed to cheer Koyuki up.

"That is true. My father had once saved a village from a Youkai that returned once a decade to feast on the villagers." The date of its arrival was uncertain, so he apparently had waited it out for an entire year while receiving dozens of calls back to Kyoto, but he wouldn't budge.

From what Koyuki told him, he got the impression that her father was a very determined, but also irresponsible man.

"Then if we follow weird presences and rumors of spirits we might bump into him eventually, right?" He suggested with a raised finger.

"That would be wonderful!" She beamed a smile his way that made his knees weak.

"D-don't just stand around, let's investigate then!" He acted pumped up to gloss over his embarrassment.

* * *

They walked across the busy streets of Jinya and reached a more remote place with normal apartment complexes. According to Koyuki there had been a few requests to the Yukimura shrine to pray for a couple and their children that had been attacked around the area of the small park close-by.

"Does look like a normal park to me." Shige crouched down and put some of the sand between his fingers. It felt rough and dry to the touch. It was certainly coarse and got everywhere in your clothes if you jumped around inside it.

"I feel no traces of miasma." Koyuki said as she inspected the swings.

"Why did you think this was the doing of an evil spirit anyway?"

"The children got attacked by something they couldn't see. They had bite marks, but the parents hadn't heard or noticed any wild dog." Koyuki retold what she had heard from her aunt. "It might be a dog spirit."

"Are those invisible to normal people?" He asked with a bad premonition.

"They can show themselves to humans, but usually you require a degree of spiritual power."

Just what was _spiritual power_? Shigechiyo held his head. Could they even track an attacker from days ago? The police didn't manage to find any evidence at all.

"Guess we have to give up for now. This was probably a cold trail-" Shige tried to break it gently to the younger girl, but he was stunned by a sudden call from behind them.

"Is that you _Sano_?" The voice came from a girl that had been passing by the park. Shige turned around and his eyes widened upon recognizing her. "And Yuki is with you? What's going on?"

"Sakiko-sama!" Koyuki's face lightened up considerably and she immediately walked over to the blonde girl.

Sakiko was taken aback a little and put one hand on her waist. She was wearing casual clothes today, which gave her an entirely different aura. The school-uniform seemed to hide her more laidback side considerably. She was wearing a black shirt over average blue pants. It was unexpected to see her without a skirt. Her thinly framed glasses were hanging low on her nose as she looked at Koyuki like she was a weirdly colored puppy. Her face said that she wouldn't get used to that miko outfit any time soon either.

"I said cut it out with the 'sama' crap." She flicked Koyuki's nose in retaliation. "Why are you hanging out with that loser Sano though? Just you two in a small park… don't tell me you two are _dating_?" She purposely covered her mouth in fake shock.

"W-we are not." Koyuki said with a tinge of red on her cheeks.

"And who are you calling a loser?" Shige squinted his eyes and changed his entire attitude. He put both his hands into his pockets and walked over towards Sakiko.

"Are you hard of hearing too? That would explain why you always got yelled at." The strong-willed girl didn't even back off when Shigechiyo walked up to her with a glare.

"Care to repeat that?" He frowned.

"Uhm.. do you two know each other per chance?" Like a parting of the sea, Koyuki split the two antagonistic high schoolers apart with her presence alone. Her cuteness was making it hard to stay aggressive.

"' _Know'_ is a bit strong. We just happened to work at the same part-time job." Sakiko shrugged and exhaled as if it was a terrible memory.

"You got some nerve talking only about how I got yelled at. You lied about your age to work there!"

"That just means I look more mature." She smirked.

"You always got into fights with the customers."

"They were asking for it." She shrugged.

"You even bleached your hair."

"This is my natural hair color you idiot."

"You broke more plates than me and I was on cleaning duty. Some waitress you are." Shige said disparagingly.

"My eye-sight is bad." Sakiko mumbled and looked aside. Why was that the only part she felt bad about?!

"Sakiko-sama… I mean Sakiko-san was a waitress?" Koyuki seemed fascinated by the mere concept.

"Only for a year. I quit, because I got enough money to buy my guitar." Sakiko waved her hand.

"For such a stupid reason…" Shige was annoyed. Really annoyed. He had almost lost his job because of this carefree girl, but his reason for earning money wasn't so light-hearted!

"So Sano-senpai and Sakiko-san were friends all along. Fate is so amazing." The shrine maiden did not read the mood, even when it tried to choke her directly.

"Friends? I don't think Sano's got anything like that." Sakiko sneered.

"…." He couldn't deny her words. All he had left was to ball his fist in his pocket and glare at her.

"That's not true." Koyuki shook her head softly.

""Huh?"" Both of them looked at her in confusion.

"I am Sano-senpai's friend." She said without a hint of irony.

It was dazzling. Too dazzling. Both of them had to avert their eyes from her shining smile.

"Yuki is a good girl. Lucky you." Sakiko patted Shige on the back.

"You could learn something from her."

"My waitress outfit wasn't cosplay, so don't compare us." Sakiko smirked.

"I-it's not cosplay! I am a real shrine maiden!" Koyuki suddenly pointed up to Sakiko who was slightly taller than her. "I asked auntie what cosplay is and she said it is playing dress up!"

"She isn't wrong…" Sakiko shrugged. "Alright, you work part-time at a shrine. I get it. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course." Koyuki forgave her right away.

This wasn't good. Shige knew that Koyuki would get exploited if she stayed so innocent. But Sakiko's corruption might have been even worse.

"You still didn't answer my question though. You and Sano: What's the deal?" The blonde girl pressed them again.

"We are just…" Shige didn't even know how to come up with a good excuse.

"We are hunting an evil spirit." Luckily the smaller girl was ready to just say it flat out.

"Wow." Sakiko's voice was 100% emotionless. "If you want to hide that you are dating you could have said something more convincing." She looked at Shige as if it was his fault somehow.

"B-but we really are looking for the spirit that attacked the family in this park." Koyuki looked down on her feet like she had just been slapped.

"…the family that got attacked?" Surprisingly Sakiko's eyes turned sharper.

"Do you know something?" Shige asked doubtfully.

"I might." She twirled her finger and then pointed towards the street behind them.

"Are you telling us to look over there?" He looked over her shoulder to see what was so special in that direction.

"Of course not." She pushed him aside with one hand. Her long ponytail flipped around as she turned in place. "Treat me to lunch and I'll tell you all I know." She grinned.

"Why you-" Shige was about to blow a fuse at her greediness, but Koyuki nodded frantically.

"Nice. Let's get some takoyaki from that stand then!" She grabbed Koyuki's hand and dragged her away.

Shige had no choice but to accompany them now.

* * *

"How are they?" Sakiko asked between bites.

"Crispy… and delicious~" The shrine maiden was nibbling on the octopus balls like they were a delicacy. She never got to eat anything this tasty at the temple in Kyoto.

Shige sat a bit further from the two girls on the stone casing of a green area. He had also bought some for himself, but this wasn't anything unusual for him. The ones at the shop close to his flat were actually better.

"Watching you wolf those down makes me glad to be alive." Sakiko said with a light smile. Even she could not stay sarcastic in front of such cuteness.

"Can you just tell us what you know already?" Shige didn't feel like staying around her for longer than necessary.

"You're not much of a gentleman, huh Sano?" She glared at him and adjusted her glasses.

"I'll hold the door open for you whenever you want to leave." He replied and stuffed another ball into his mouth.

"Dick." She mumbled. "Alright, here's what I know-"

 _Ding-a-ling-ding ching ching ring_

Sakiko jerked back for a second as the phone vibrated in her pocket. The ringtone was unfamiliar, but it sounded kind of like an anime opening? Either way she just took it without even excusing herself.

"Maki? What's the matter now?" She held one finger into her ear to hear better. Apparently the caller was in a very loud place. "I can't understand you- Hey, is that a video in the background? Are you playing sad music? For real?" She reacted just as perplexed as if she had just gotten a prank call. "Okay, that's enough. I'm putting you on speaker." She tapped a button and suddenly the voice was transmitted to the public.

"Uweeeeeh! Natsuki wouldn't let me touch YukiYuki! And I can't see her until Tuesday!" Maki was crying comically.

"Maki-san?" Koyuki suddenly looked up from her meal. So she knew her too. "I can hear her, but she is nowhere to be seen…?"

"Don't tell me you don't know what a smartphone is!?" Sakiko looked at her in disbelief.

"I know of it! It is like a telephone that you carry with you." She replied proudly. "Oh my. So it can even project the voices outside."

"Ehhh? Why can I hear YukiYuki with you SakiSaki?!" Maki had caught wind now. The picture of her on the phone seemed to come alive. Her small pigtails were waving around.

"Well, we just kinda ran unto each other. No big deal." Sakiko was clearly fed up with this conversation.

"Boo! SakiSaki you are a traitor! You said you were busy, so we couldn't meet at McDonalds!" Maki sounded like she was trying to break through the phone and come over to them.

"I really was busy! Maybe." She averted her eyes.

"I hate you! Tell me where you are right now so I can play with YukiYuki too or I won't forgive you!" The loud girl was now trying to threaten her friend at that.

"Oh nooo… the connection… is getting… bad… frzzzz." Sakiko lazily imitated static noise and then hang up.

"Nooooo-" Maki was silenced.

"It seems technology is still unreliable." Koyuki commented seriously.

"Yup. I should get a new phone soon." Sakiko agreed and stole one of Koyuki's takoyaki.

"You are a terrible friend." Shige said and finally sat down next to them. He gave the blonde thief his remaining food so she would leave poor Koyuki's alone.

"Maki is just playing around. She doesn't mean anything by it-"

 _Ding._

She received a message on Line.

[IF yOu ReAd thissss yoU wiiiiill-]

Sakiko promptly shut her phone off and threw it into her bag.

"Are you _really_ friends?" Shige felt sweat run down his cheek after reading that.

"Yeah. Maki's weird, but she is…" Sakiko chewed on another octopus ball while reminiscing.

"Maki-san is really cheerful and cute." Koyuki declared.

"Exactly. She was the first to approach me back in middle-school. She has been dragging me around ever since." For a moment there was a certain fondness in the rough girl's green eyes.

"She did sound like someone who would keep people busy." Shige agreed and leaned his head on one hand. He closed his eyes nostalgically.

"Like you wouldn't believe." She shrugged and then finished the last of the food. "It wasn't much of a lunch, but you kept your end of the bargain."

"You still have the gall to complain?" Shige frowned.

"Uhm… I don't have any money, so I will repay you another time Sano-senpai." Koyuki seemed to feel guilty.

"I will pay for your share." Sakiko declared. "Don't wanna see you in that freak's debt." She pointed her thumb at Shige.

He simply pretended that he was strangling her in his mind.

"So about that spirit business. I don't think super-natural nonsense like that exists, but I know that the kids in this neighborhood got attacked. That wasn't the first time someone got hurt." She spoke with a matter of fact voice.

"And there is no suspect?" Shige asked knowing the answer.

"Nope." She probably would never have given them the time of day if that wasn't the case. "No witnesses or traces. Sometimes there was broken stuff, but no clue how it was broken."

It was a full-fledged mystery.

"It is a violent spirit. I wonder what made it so hostile to humans." Koyuki pondered. There was absolutely no doubt in her expression. It had to be a spirit.

"You sure are devoted to that cosplay." Sakiko looked at her classmate with a mix of amusement and pity. "I heard this from someone I met on my walks. Apparently her daughter almost got attacked as well, somewhere around the small guardian shrine back in Tomaki Street. She got away at the last second. There is still mark where the attacker hit the pavement."

"That sounds pretty dangerous." Shige wasn't happy about those news.

"Well I'm a busy girl. The police will do something about eventually, so don't get yourself hurt Yuki." She dusted off her pants and picked up the bag from the grass. "You could take a little beating every now and then though, Sano. Builds character." She winked and then walked off before he could throw back a bile filled reply.

"What a b-"

"Beautiful." Koyuki watched her leave with a happy expression.

"She is all looks. That personality would scare any honest guy off." He grumbled.

"Sakiko-sama is really cool, don't you think?" She was looking after her the same way as she did for Archer and Rider.

Comparing that feisty girl to a hero was just…

"She knows so many people and she helped us out even though she didn't believe in spirits. Perhaps she was worried about the people here too?"

"Maybe." He didn't want to give her too much credit. "Do you want to look for that guardian shrine next?"

"As soon as possible." She nodded and they made their way to the place in question.

* * *

"Seems like a normal guardian shrine to me." Sano crouched down next to the stone statue that had been put into a wooden shrine a very long time ago. He rubbed the old salt rock and felt its coarse and dry exterior.

"This place is charged with spiritual power." Koyuki traced her steps carefully around the statue. "But this is not the blessing of a deity."

"The statue looks kinda like a dog." He stopped his finger movements. "Don't tell me…" He gulped.

"I can't sense its presence, but the evil spirit definitely came from here." She drew a seal from her chest pocket. "It must have been sealed inside the statue of the local guardian!"

"Who does that?!" He jumped back in fear and crossed his arms in front of him. He didn't have his bat with him now of all times.

"People would revere the deity and in turn the spirit would be cleansed… in theory." Koyuki explained.

"I guess that theory was flawed then." Shige looked at the half crumbled statue. If that was supposed to be the seal then it was no wonder that thing had escaped.

"It must be prowling its old cursed paths. Searching for victims to exact its revenge."

"Revenge for what?"

"I do not know." She put a seal on the statue and was about the speak a chant.

 _Shhhhhhh_

A sound similar to gas leaving a pipe could be heard. Shige stiffened up. Somehow his vision had turned a bit blurry. Perhaps he had forgotten to blink in fear.

No... the world was also turning darker.

"Sano-senpai, do no move!" Koyuki's voice was deadly serious. "Sora!"

The Shikigami bird was summoned and immediately cried out. Something big had hit it into a wall, which it flung off of like a pile of papers (which it essentially was).

"W-what was that?!" He bit his lip to prevent himself from shouting.

"It is here. A corrupted dog spirit." Koyuki was facing something that Sano could not see. She was slowly moving her hand back into her hakama to grab another seal.

Suddenly Shige's vision shook. He could not hear or see anything, but somehow he knew that the dog had growled loudly.

"Sora! Zen!" The fallen bird Shikigami was not incapacitated at all and suddenly flew past Koyuki like a silver streak! It sliced through the air and for a moment Shige could see something black cover the floor in a big splash. Had she injured the beast? Sora's wings were sharp as blades.

Koyuki jumped back and a huge crack appeared inside the street. She flicked her hand forward and the seal got stuck on thin air. That must have been where the monster stood.

" _On baishiramantaya sowaka_!" She made a weird hand sign with her interlocked fingers. In a surprisingly bright flash something akin to lightning hit the place where the seal was placed!

Again blackness was splattering across the street and shrine.

The monster thrashed around clearly, as scenery got destroyed. Koyuki moved over, but suddenly something seemed to hit her in the side at full force and she was toppled over and thrown against a fence.

"Yukimura-san!" He shouted and moved by instinct alone. His legs were almost tripping over themselves, but he could not just watch anymore. He couldn't see the spirit, but he could still help the fighting shrine maiden move!

"No, don't come here!" She raised her hand while coughing violently.

Her warning came too late though, as the giant snout of the black dog appeared right in front of Shige. He could only see it for a single moment, before the spirit turned invisible again, but it was enough to make him realize that several razor sharp arm long teeth were about to bore into his skull.

He froze up in fear. The jaw snapped.

"Move you moron!" He felt a heavy push from the side and was flung out of the way of the devastating bite. Instead a random car got its hood torn off behind them.

"Huh? Why… why are you here?" Shige's heart was pumping like crazy, but he still had room to be shocked more. The one who had saved him from a gruesome death was… Sakiko.

"Keep moving!" She kicked his shoulder and another swipe missed him by a hair's breadth. "Yuki, now would be a good time for another of those magic tricks!"

"…Sora!" She shouted and the wind spirit in from of a bird swooshed across the street. It pecked into the evil spirit's neck ceaselessly, which at least distracted it. "I need to touch the seal on the statue…" She got up from the ground and threw a golden seal into the air. "Zai! Kiba!"

The gold seal changed form and reconfigured into a small dog. The brush strokes of the characters formed into a beautiful pattern. This one was even better crafted than Sora.

"Strike it down! Zen!" She commanded the dog and it seemed to vanish in thin air. Until it immediately appeared above the evil spirit and cut it apart with its unnaturally sharp claws. The wounded monster cried out and black blood splashed across the two familiars.

Sakiko backed away, ready to run on a moment's notice. Shige just moved behind a tree in hopes he was safe there.

"In the name of the Shitennō I banish you!" Koyuki's braids swung in place as she pulled back her arm and then smashed it forward straight against the already prepared seal. White energy surrounded her palm and then flooded into the paper on the statue.

"GROOOOOOOOHHH!" A spine chilling growl reverberated through the air so powerful even Shige could hear it.

And in the next instant the darkness cleared and the street returned to normal (except for the battle damage). The sounds that had previously been dulled were now back in full swing. Birds were even chirping.

"Is… is it over?" Shige asked with cold sweat on his back.

"I sealed the entity away. Now I need to exorcize it from this statue." The young shrine maiden said and took a deep breath.

"You… why did you come after us? I thought you didn't believe in supernatural stuff?" He approached Sakiko who seemed a bit pale as well.

"Well now I certainly do." She replied jokingly. Her voice shook just noticeably enough for her to show her true fear. "What the hell was that thing?"

"Some evil spirit." He repeated what they had been saying the entire time.

"So she really is one." Sakiko watched Koyuki chant a mantra to cleanse the spirit. "Onmyouji exist." She sounded just as unbelieving as him until yesterday.

"This isn't even the weirdest thing I've seen this week." For some reason he couldn't help but laugh. "…thanks… for saving me back there." He felt embarrassed to thank her of all people.

"My body moved on its own." She replied while rubbing her head in dissatisfaction. "Why would she take you along to hunt monsters if you are so useless?"

Her words stung horribly, but he suppressed a retort. After all he owed her.

"Yuki are you okay?" She called out to her after she stopped her chanting and some strange glow dissipated in the air.

"I… am fine." She said with a weak smile before she suddenly fell over. Sakiko caught her just in time and held her up. She leaned the smaller girl against her body and touched her forehead which was heating up. "I always feel a little feverish after an exorcism. I apologize for… being so unsightly." She was turning redder. It was probably not just from the fever.

"Shut up with that modest speech of yours." Sakiko chuckled and patted the exhausted girl's head. "I didn't think I would see _you_ act cool of all things."

"…!" Koyuki's eyes darted around in reaction to the unexpected praise.

"We should probably get out of here before someone asks us how we managed to demolish their car." Shige pointed over his shoulder at the destroyed property.

"Shit!" Sakiko was very distraught and pulled Koyuki up to carry her piggyback. She was pretty strong!

"I can also-"

"So you would prefer to carry her on _your_ back?" She squinted her eyes at him.

He backed off right away. Thinking about it, that would have been incredibly embarrassing.

* * *

"I have no idea what to think anymore, but I gotta return home soon." Sakiko rubbed her forehead. She was leaning against a tree as she and Shige watched Koyuki rest on the same bench they had been sitting on before.

"It's not that late yet. The sun's still up." The red sky was still shining on the city.

"I've got some trouble with my mom's boyfriend. He keeps nagging that I shouldn't go out after sundown." She frowned just thinking about it.

"I didn't know your parents were divorced." Shige cursed himself for that slip of the tongue right away.

"They weren't." Sakiko replied neutrally and crouched down next to Koyuki. "You better don't fight any monsters until we meet back at school, okay? That's not the kind of thing a pretty girl should do in her spare time."

"Ehehe…" Koyuki laughed without much energy.

"Sano, look after her, you hear me? If anything happens to her you will pay for it." She looked back, but with the sweetest of smiles. Only the shadows below her eyes were telling that she was serious.

"Don't need to threaten me." He pulled the hands out of his pockets and waved her goodbye. "What a weirdo." She had seen a spirit trash a street and one of her classmates summon magical creatures, but somehow she seemed the most collected out of them. Perhaps she wasn't called the 'queen' of class 1-1 for nothing.

"I will recover my spiritual energy in a few minutes. I am very sorry for the inconvenience."

"Does this always happen when you do this kind of work?" He asked while sitting down next to her.

"No, not always. I have to confess that I made a little lie in front Sakiko-sama." She adjusted her body and leaned back with a wobbling head. "The evil spirit had injected me with its miasma when it hit me. I had to cleanse my soul. It took most of my power."

"Are you going to be fine?" Now his worry returned.

"Yes. You all are very sweet for worrying. No Archer-dono, it is nothing physical. I can still move on my own." She was apparently talking to Archer at the same time.

"Where was he anyway?" He wondered. Didn't he say he would watch them?

"The dark sphere had blocked his vision. Archer-dono had just arrived when I cleansed the spirit, so he did not materialize in front of Sakiko-sama."

On cue the tall Servant appeared behind them. He was now wearing his ancient Chinese soldier uniform rather than the black suit.

"It was my failure to realize that an evil entity was prowling the area. I was shortly distracted by Rider's situation." He took the blame for everything without flinching.

"Did Rider-san catch someone?" Now Shige remembered their actual reason for coming to Jinya.

"…I'm afraid this strategy will not bear fruit." Archer looked back with a grim countenance.

"What happened?" Shigechiyo had a bad feeling about this.

"The puppet we managed to corner realized that it was captured. The enemy took direct control of him and then…" Archer did not finish his sentence, but his regretful expression told the whole story.

Shige felt sick. They had cornered this guy and then he had taken his own life? How could they have predicted that this bastard would go so far as to dispose of their pawns in such a bloody manner? He turned to Koyuki in fear that she might have been emotionally crushed, but she simply had closed her eyes sadly and folded her hands in prayer.

Today they had managed to save a bunch of people from an evil spirit, but at the same time their actions had cost an innocent man his life.

Every choice had consequences. They felt that more deeply than before.


	23. Those that give

**Those that give**

* * *

There was strained silence between them. Ever since Collingwood had blown up at her, Caster had taken a more silent approach. For the first time in a long while she went into spirit form rather than walking at his side. She had already shown that she was the bigger person by not lashing back out at him, but she also knew that he needed some space. It was irritating in its own way to be treated like a choleric fool.

Honestly, wasn't he acting like a pouting kid now?

While mulling such over in his mind he didn't notice the two kids that were dashing around the corner of the sidewalk. The girl bumped into him and apologized profusely. She was quite polite and it was his fault as well for being lost in thought, so he just amicably accepted her apology. He watched her and the less apologetic boy run off.

Kids sure were weird these days. Running around in cosplay in public and all. This wasn't Tokyo.

Perhaps he would have paid more attention to such details if he wasn't so focused on their new goal. He was only switching bus lines here in Jinya to get to the central district. Their target was the Town Hall. As odd as it might have seemed, the 'neutral ground', or more specifically the location that the Overseer was residing in, was right next to Matsumae's council building.

They arrived just at the edge of sundown.

"This is a rather odd place." Caster finally deigned it time to rematerialize. She had her arms crossed and watched the community hall with some reservation.

"…" For some reason Collingwood had trouble replying. He felt weirdly self-conscious next to the lilac haired girl. Most prominently he didn't want to upset her again, but he also realized why he had been so apprehensive in the first place. She acted understanding and mature when necessary, but she was a trickster. A deceiver. He had regretted opening up too fast to her. The contradiction was inherent, but he wanted to get along without getting closer.

"Do not torture your mind needlessly with emotions, my dear magus Master. I know it is an unfamiliar topic." She gave him a sarcastic smile.

"Tsk." He clicked his tongue. She didn't have to be so harsh. "If Ryouko Tohsaka is to be believed, the church's Overseer is inside this 'odd' place. So let's get a move on." He purposely ignored her comment and walked inside with his hands in his jacket pockets.

The inside was barren, which was not unexpected on a Sunday. The community hall was right next to the Town Hall, but it was mainly used for all public gatherings of various fields and groups. They were headed for the underground levels. One floor below ground level they were finding themselves in brightly lit hallways. It almost felt like they had ended up in a hospital. Everything was clean and sterile.

"The Christian community seems to have a mass hall around this level. That's probably were we will find him." Collingwood made a guess and checked out the building plans on the wall.

"They really have to hide inside the basement to follow their faith?" Caster raised a brow.

"It's probably a space issue." He doubted that Christians had to act like prosecuted outcasts here. This wasn't ancient Rome.

Soon they were faced with a huge white door at a dead end. This was supposedly the entrance. The following area seemed to cover about half of the entire floor. Collingwood cracked his neck once and then opened the big door without knocking. This wasn't a private domicile; there would be no use in doing it.

As soon as they entered Caster stopped in her tracks and contorted her face ever so slightly. Collingwood might not even have noticed if he hadn't been so overly conscious of her. He glanced through the empty mass hall to make sure they weren't overheard.

"What's-"

"It is as I felt from above." Caster interrupted him and sat down on one of the many long wooden benches that were reserved for praying believers. "This place has a Servant weakening field erected around its borders." She said with a sweat drop flowing down her face.

"So that's why this is a 'neutral ground'." Collingwood wasn't too shocked. After seeing the barrier at the edge of town he didn't think it was out of the question to discover such a design here as well. "It's different from the other one, right?"

"Naturally. Otherwise I would already have joined the stars." Caster replied with an ironic smile. "This suppressing field is rather powerful nonetheless. I can feel my strength waning each breathing moment."

"Do you think it's better to wait outside?"

"Hm." She opened and closed her hands. Then she summoned a faintly glowing orb inside her palm. "It seems my magic has been mostly sealed off. But my body is still able to move quite well. Perhaps my physical limitations are now befitting of my body." She analyzed her situation objectively.

So in essence she had turned human. At least into an ordinary human like one could see everywhere in this city, rather than mythological hero.

"You seem to be doing quite well though, Master." She eyed him with playful envy.

"I don't feel any different. My magic crest is still doing its job." He nodded after touching his chest.

"Whoever set up this little Holy Grail War knew what they were doing then." Caster shrugged. "Do not bother with me for now. There is something you needed of that man in the backroom, no?" She pointed ahead behind the large organ.

There was another door close to the podium. That must have been the backroom she mentioned. Probably the pastor's office.

Collingwood accepted her push and made his presence noticed. Unsurprisingly the man appointed by the Church had been aware of his visitors already. He left his office with controlled steps and met the newcomer magus midway in the central path towards the podium.

"Good evening, sir." He greeted Collingwood calmly. His demeanor was as tranquil as a bubbling brook. But beyond his priest robes he was also wearing something rather odd.

A white mask.

"Hello." Collingwood mustered this odd fellow with suspicion. Not only was he wearing a weird smiling mask, but he also covered his head in a hood. A single strand of red hair was peeking out of the edge between the fabric and the mask. He was the epitome of a suspicious person. "Are you Mr. Alistair McNeil?"

"The very same." He bowed his head for a moment and then returned to his idle stance with his arms hidden inside his large sleeves. "And you must be Mr. Collingwood."

"You heard of me already?" Their information network was impressive as expected.

"Ahaha, it is not my place to speak of the Church's secrets, but you are a very… _special_ subject to the upper echelons as of this time." His young sounding voice did not betray any resentment. McNeil did not seem to harbor any ill will towards him despite what he did to those Executors back in Peru. Was this also Ryouko Tohsaka's influence? If so, she really did hold up her end of the bargain.

"…are you from Wales perhaps? Your accent seems familiar." Collingwood couldn't help but ask. It was such an odd sounding accent after all.

"Scotland actually. How embarrassing, I thought that I had left it behind at home quite a while ago." His words and voice were still colored with the accent, but he was indeed doing a good job of suppressing it after it had been addressed.

"I lived in England for a while, but I never went to Scotland. Sorry for mixing it up with Wales." He knew that the peoples on the British Isles were not exactly happy to be lumped together. They had quite a bit of national pride.

McNeil simply chuckled and told him not to worry about it. He didn't appear to be vain in the slightest.

"What brings you here into my modest home? The morning choir has ended quite a while ago I fear." Of course he knew that his guests weren't here for the mass, but he seemed to enjoy this smalltalk.

"I came to ask some questions. This is the neutral zone where Masters are not allowed to battle, correct?"

"That is the intention. Albeit I cannot guarantee anybody's safety in these grounds." McNeil's face might have been hidden behind the smiling mask, but his regret was still quite noticeable. "I'm not a fighter, unlike many of my comrades. My specialty is healing."

That was unsurprising. Although the Holy Grail War was dangerous, the Overseer had no reason to intervene directly. Hence they did not need to be strong themselves. Still, someone sent to such a remote place where the Church's influence was weak had to be rather important. Perhaps Father McNeil's personality was belying his importance.

"If a Master lost their Servant or forfeited they could still seek sanctuary here, right?"

"My door is open to any lost lamb. Only, the wolves will not be held back by mere prayers." McNeil's eyes were showing a weak glint behind the holes in the mask.

"I'm not naïve enough to think that any Master would spare their enemies, but if they lost their Servant already, there is no need to go after someone who already gave up…" It was needless carnage. Even with the flimsy excuse that a living Master could always make a new contract with the remaining Servants or still touch the Grail, it was nothing short of unprovoked murder.

"It seems you were not fully informed about the rules yet." McNeil sounded slightly surprised.

"Elaborate please." Collingwood felt his stomach cramp up.

"If a Master meets his untimely end by another's hand, their Command Seals will be transferred to the victorious slayer." The priest said quietly. "This will certainly encourage some to end their foes definitively."

Collingwood's eyes widened for a moment, before he could get his face back under control. He had not heard of this. Even when Ryouko Tohsaka had answered his questions, she had not mentioned this detail. In retrospect that was probably the smartest move. The reason she had truly assumed he would kill her was that she thought he knew of this rule. But if he didn't then she could still use him as a Command Seal reserve should she backstab him.

His perspective on a lot of previous events changed now.

To think they would add such an aggressive rule to the war…

He shook off the uneasy thoughts. This only made his presence here more important. The questions he had gathered were connected to this as well.

"You must be in the know about what is going on here." He tried to appear uncaring about the previous revelation. "Who started his war?"

"Hmm…" McNeil lowered his head in thought. "I feel so sorry for disappointing you Mr. Collingwood. My knowledge might be more limited than you expected."

"You're the Overseer."

"You speak the truth. But even so, I have been appointed to oversee a ritual created by mages, for mages. My task is to observe this 'miracle' under the name of one of our greatest religious relics, yet to be found." Everyone knew that the name 'Holy Grail' was entirely for show, most of all the Church itself. Vain attempts to suppress false rumors or not, they were not here for such a simple reason.

McNeil realized that Collingwood would not be satisfied with these words.

"I was made aware of all the participants of this war. Furthermore I have been asked to investigate a few things myself. My apologies, but I will not be able to share a lot with you."

"It just doesn't add up." Collingwood rubbed his hurting shoulder and muttered to himself.

"How so?" The priest asked him intently.

"I realized it only a short while ago, but this war feels wrong. I don't know who set it up and who is responsible for even starting it. At first I assumed it was the Tohsaka clan, but…" His memories of that stressful conversation with their mistress returned. Among the many things they had discussed one of them was that she did not create the Grail, nor did she make the rules. She merely provided the land.

"Aha. So you too were aware that it was not their doing." McNeil confirmed his information casually.

"Yeah… I'm an outsider, so I didn't expect to get told anything, but this is suspicious." Ryouko had kept the identity of the creator a secret from him. She _must_ have known who it was that approached her to hold this ritual on her land at the very least! If a woman of her caliber trusted that mysterious person then it had to be someone with some influence…

"We are in the same boat, you and me." The priest said sympathetically.

"What doesn't make sense is that everything works out as expected." Collingwood held his head. His shoulder was burning up again.

"Pardon?"

"At first it didn't strike me as odd. Everything worked just as I remembered from what I learned in the Clocktower. Seven Servants. Seven Masters. The same classes, the same amount of Command seals, the same skills and system."

"I see where you are going with this now." McNeil had caught on fast. "It is _too_ similar to the Grail War of Fuyuki."

"Exactly." The hermit nodded. "This isn't the kind of ritual you can just recreate. The famous Einzberns themselves created the Grail and its vessel."

"So did you not assume that perhaps this is a new attempt of their clan?"

"No… the Einzbern factory was shut down six years ago. They had been secluded all along, but contact with them has completely ceased. They gave up on this ritual." If a great family like the Einzberns gave up on a long cherished dream and goal it was tantamount to ending their legacy. The Association saw their retirement from the world as a great loss, even if they had been reclusive and uncooperative for centuries.

"I see. My knowledge of magi politics is limited. This is very enlightening." He honestly thanked him for his input. "The Fuyuki Grail War had been the cooperative project of three magus families."

"Einzbern, Tohsaka and Makiri." Collingwood counted them. "The Tohsaka branch in Matsumae doesn't seem to have any connection to the main family."

"I can confirm this much." McNeil was definitely familiar with the landlord here.

"Which only leaves the Makiri. But nobody has heard from them in centuries." Collingwood closed his eyes. The pounding from his left side was making it hard to think.

"I might have some information in that regard which could prove useful." The priest gently stepped forward and unexpectedly touched Collingwood's shoulder. "But perhaps we should take care of this injury first." He was surely smiling even below the mask.

"…perceptive." He went through his dirt brown hair and sighed. He wasn't able to hide the infected wound anymore. An experienced healer like McNeil would see through his shoddy acting in a heartbeat. "Are you sure you can just go around helping people like this? You'll make yourself a target as well." He asked defiantly.

"I am a neutral party in this war. Yet I will never ignore a person in need as long as they stand before me." He swore solemnly and then pushed Collingwood down onto a bench. He waited for his approval to undo the buttons of his shirt and then pushed the coat aside as well. Below a rather unappetizing sight revealed itself to their eyes. "Infected."

"I ran out of emollient balm." He joked with gritted teeth as McNeil pulled the string out of the badly sutured wound.

"Do you often stitch yourself up?" He sounded quite seasoned as he inspected the damage.

"I usually do a better job…" He said dryly. In the back he could feel Caster shift on her bench with guilt.

"Fixing oneself up under fever and pain is a heavy task. Perhaps that is why this appears like the work of an amateur."

Again Caster averted her gaze from them.

"Can my shoulder be saved doc?" Collingwood asked with a hint of amusement. Somehow this reminded him of happier times.

"I fear that I have not acquired any doctorate yet, but my healing blessing should be sufficient." The man's soft hands flowed across Collingwood's burning skin like gentle water streams. They were acquiring a mild green glow. "You are no stranger to injuries. I feel sorry for your body. To make matters worse, you seem to have engaged in battle with this injury. That's why it opened up again." McNeil eyed the dozens of scars all over his patient's body.

"I stayed alive, that's all that counts." He replied dismissively. Although McNeil called it a 'blessing', Collingwood was certain that this healing was actually simple magecraft. The Church did not like to call their special abilities and weaponry 'magic', but they were based on the same principles.

As the priest slightly caressed the shoulder muscles and traced the bone, the wound soon closed up. The incessant pain was fading away like a distant dream. With a satisfied nod he ended his ministrations.

Collingwood spun his shoulder a bit and stretched his arm forward. No inhibitions left.

"Thank you…" He didn't know how to repay him.

"I will pray that you will not get yourself hurt more than necessary." The masked priest folded his hands together. He wasn't even sarcastic about it either.

"No god will be able to follow up on that request." He said derisively. Where he planned to go a few scratches like that one would be child's play.

"Do not underestimate the Lord. For he has a great plan for all of us." He ended his prayer devotedly with the cross sign. A diligent priest indeed.

"If you say so." He shrugged, but this time it didn't hurt. "What were you going to say about the Makiri?"

"Ah yes, the Makiri. They have changed their name to 'Matou'. Our agent in Fuyuki had told us about the details before he disappeared six years ago." The Church was well informed. Which made the mystery of Matsumae's war all the more confounding. "If I may be presumptuous, it seems very unlikely that the Matou are involved here."

"Then who is left? Someone must have recreated this Grail War in the image of Fuyuki's." It didn't add up. New information didn't change that.

"There were alterations made. There doesn't seem to be a lesser grail vessel. And of course the new rule for Command Seal transfer." The priest pointed out.

"So that means whoever made this grail was using a… blueprint, but then altered it to their preferences?"

"I can sparsely imagine what genius it would take to perform such an elaborate task. The Grail draws from this land's ley-lines, so it would need at the very least 50 years to charge up." Only slightly better than the Grail in Fuyuki.

"But Miss Tohsaka said she only knew about the Grail War for about a year." Collingwood cupped his mouth in thought.

They turned silent and contemplated the situation. Occasionally they added something, but they seemed to be going in circles.

"Have you deliberated the unknown to your satisfaction now?" Suddenly Caster appeared between them. She seemed slightly bothered.

"You've been holding back for a while, huh?"

"This place is not particularly safe, Master." She angled her hand to the side to address the hall.

"Nice to make your acquaintance Miss. My name is Alistair McNeil, always at your service." The priest kindly greeted her as well. He even took her hand and kissed it softly as he pulled up his mask just a tiny bit.

He had previously assumed she did not want to get involved. He was rather considerate, Collingwood thought. At the same time that was a ridiculously smooth move to make up for ignoring her…

"My, how polite. I'm glad to make your acquaintance as well Mr. McNeil! This is how a gentleman should introduce himself~" She acted coy to reward such a display. Her hidden disparaging smile towards Collingwood didn't go unnoticed either.

"I am merely a humble servant of the Lord. It is my duty to treat all his sheep equally. Some are simply gifted by more of his grace than others. You are clearly one of His greatest works."

"You say that to any beautiful, wise and powerful maiden that walks into your church~"

"All faithful are beautiful in the face of the Lord." He replied philosophically.

"Then I should thank him directly perhaps." She put a finger to her cheek in wonder.

"I would be delighted to join you in prayer."

"Then I will thank him for letting me meet a goodhearted man like you as well, Father." She said with folded hands. "I seem to have forgotten how to properly do it… would you guide my hands and legs, good Father?" She asked with a shy expression.

"There is no need for formality, as the Lord will accept any earnest prayer. But if you insist let me move your hands." He gently took her fingers and interlocked them correctly. Then he showed her how to kneel in front of the altar. All the while she was acting clumsy and shy.

Her occasional look towards her Master was telling all kinds of things…

"Right, we are about done here." Collingwood finally lost his patience for this little act. "Thanks for answering my questions and for the shoulder as well." Collingwood squinted his eyes and patted his healthy shoulder before turning away. "If you find anything new, let's share what we know again."

"I look forward to your next visit." McNeil waved them goodbye.

Caster returned his gesture with a beautiful smile and then hopped after her Master. Her step seemed a lot lighter the moment they left the mass hall.

As they walked up the stairs she finally couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Where you jealous by any chance?" She grinned.

"Of whom?" He retorted.

"Hehe. He was a very nice man indeed." She hummed.

"Didn't you wonder why he wears a mask? Maybe he is horribly disfigured."

"To think you of all people would attack a man's appearance. Have you no shame~?" She giggled.

"…" He didn't feel like replying to that. She was the one who acted so amicable with McNeil just to tease him. Why should he be concerned about that?

Clearly in a good mood now that swiped away this afternoon's fight, she caught up and walked beside him.

"Have you drawn any conclusions yet?"

"The Church is in the dark and the Tohsakas won't open their mouths about this. We will have to improvise." He rubbed his neck.

"That seemed to work out just swimmingly before." She crossed her arms behind her back and smirked.

* * *

Inside the sanctum McNeil was replacing a few candles and getting rid of the blood drenched string he had taken out of Collingwood's wound. He was not hurrying to address the person that had been standing behind the door for a while now.

After he finally sat down inside his office and pulled up some old documents with the Vatican's seal on them he finally spoke up.

"How may I help you monsieur Rézny?"

"You are soft McNeil." The former Executor said while leaning against the cold stone wall.

"I would prefer the word 'compassionate'." His voice was slightly distorted by the mask, but his good humor was still noticeable.

"Your superiors want that man _dead_." Rézny said emotionlessly.

"The same applies to you."

"I know." He closed his eyes. "It's _because_ you are soft that I came here anyway."

"Two killers of my dear comrades appear to me on the same day to ask for a favor." McNeil said aware of the irony of the situation. "The toughness of your kind always impressed me. A lesser man would have died from that." He was referring to the broken ribs.

"I already closed the pierced lung." Rézny replied curtly.

"To reinforce your body is not the same as 'fixing' it. It will lessen my burden all the same." He rose from his chair and then put his palm below Rézny's shirt. The horrible bulge of the broken ribs stood out.

With a pale glow and a painful cracking noise the body seemed to magically reform itself into a natural build again.

McNeil sighed in exhaustion and almost fell over, but Rézny caught him by the arm. The stoic magus sat him down on the hard bed in the corner of the room. Apparently the priest even slept at his workplace.

"I will repay this favor." His dull grey eyes were not thankful, but he honored his promises.

"I did it because I wished to. There are no debts."

He pulled off his mask slowly. Rézny looked upon the man's face without changing his expression. To him appearances would never truly be surprising anymore.

"I understand."

"Please tell me… why did you do it?" McNeil's natural voice sounded much frailer. It was clear what he referred to. The night he had killed 13 Executors and betrayed the holy Church.

"I had no other choice." He replied with a clutched fist.

"You don't want to say… so that's it." McNeil sighed heavily. His hand patted the sideboard for something, but he couldn't find it. Eventually Rézny picked up the pills and handed them to him directly. The priest swallowed three of them at once and then sipped from the glass of water next to him. His heavy breathing soon calmed down.

"Why did they choose you for this mission?" Rézny asked with a hint of concern.

"Ahaha. I was expendable. That is the short of it."

It made sense of course, but this was exactly the kind of line which would disturb the former Executor's heart. He barely controlled his fist to stop before the wall.

"For a cold blooded murderer and apostate, you are very well behaved." McNeil laughed again and put the mask back on. He slightly pulled up his torso and leaned against the wall at the edge of the bed. "I'm glad you honor the immunity of the neutral zone."

"It's natural." He crossed his arms.

"I know of your code of honor." The priest revealed. "You don't strike me as the type of man who chooses killing as his first option."

"You don't know me."

"Haha, you are stubborn as well." He coughed and then folded his hands. "You give your opponents a chance to choose to live. I wonder why you did not grant that privilege to Mr. Collingwood?"

"…" For the first time Rézny showed some surprise.

"The pattern of the wound was very similar to your weapon of choice." McNeil explained how he had figured it out. "You never gave him a chance to surrender. Does the Clocktower not want him _alive_? Was he not designated for sealing?"

"…I'm not an Enforcer yet. It's not my job." Rézny dodged the question. But the priest's eyes were unwavering. Finally he exhaled and added more. "Collingwood is suicidal already. There is no point in offering a dead man walking another chance at life."

His assessment was cruel, but on point.

And yet…

"I heard rumors. Just some tidbits here and there. The things that the Clocktower does to targets designated for sealing." He smiled with pity. "Cruel live experimentation behind locked doors. After months of tinkering with their very human essence they will finally strip them of their Magic Crest, a separation that will tear their soul asunder. Ultimately their remains will be used as a magic battery until they fade to dust."

Rézny did not reply. He was not ignorant of the darkness that lurked inside the Association's basements.

"Death can be a mercy in God's eyes sometimes."

"I had no noble intentions." He replied darkly.

McNeil simply chuckled.

"Instead of making groundless assumptions, tell me what you actually know about this war." He uncrossed his arms and cornered the frail priest.

"So even you are worried about the similarities."

"None of the original three families are involved. The Association did not give me any information."

"I fear you should know more about this than me. Sorry." He apologized genuinely.

"…rest up and watch form the sidelines. After I take the Grail you can report this to your masters." He walked out the door and didn't turn back again. "Whoever they send after me will end up the same way as all those who met me. Underground."

McNeil watched him leave with pitying eyes. Only such tortured souls would seek an ever elusive miracle machine like the Holy Grail.

* * *

At the exit of the community hall Collingwood and Caster took in the cool evening air. The sun had finally set while they were underground.

"This would be a wonderful opportunity to acquire a delicious meal." Caster suggested cutely.

"We're returning to the hotel. With no detours." The tired magus replied with a hand covering his face.

"You will never make friends with such a repelling penurious act." She pouted.

"I'm not here to make friends. The only people we will meet are those that want us dead-" Just as he said so he bumped into someone again. Today he really had no peripheral vision it seemed.

The young man (maybe high-school age) was surprised. Collingwood looked down on him with an apologetic expression. He was about to apologize when he realized…

He wasn't looking at him.

And behind him stood a tall blonde woman with beautiful silver eyes.

"So much for the 'neutral zone'." Caster said with a lethargic sigh.

Staking out this place… why had he not thought of that? Of course someone would choose such a backhanded tactic.

The blonde woman was a Servant. His Master vision told him so, but only a blind man wouldn't have realized that she was special. Which meant the boy he bumped into was a Master.

"Your glare is giving me the shivers Miss." Caster pretended to be shaking in the freezing night air. Her ribbons started to float serenely, completely unbound by gravity. She was already preparing to cast spells.

"What… are… you?" The blonde woman held her forehead as if she was experiencing a horrible migraine.

"Rider-san?! What's wrong?" The young man rushed to her side and seemed to panic.

"You... you are not who you appear." The one that had just been addressed as a Rider pointed at Caster with a mix of dismay and fear.

"A woman's heart is mysterious as they say~" Caster was unperturbed by her opponent's reaction.

"What are these layers? My… my eyes cannot focus?" Rider summoned her blue and silver armor and was facing them with all her imposing presence. "If you are… broken… the images are colliding… Meaning you are corrupt!" She gritted her teeth and deactivated her Mystic Eyes. Her irises returned to a deep blue.

"How rude. Corruption is a privilege of those with the freedom to fail." Caster spun her index finger and acted indignant.

"Rider-san, is she the one?" The boy with dark green hair inquired restlessly.

"It must be. She is a fake… a corrupt being. I cannot read her soul, but a witch that hides her nature so _must_ be the perpetrator." She materialized a trident like lance.

Collingwood had no idea what they were talking about, but the hostility shown to them was far greater than it should have been on a first meeting. He grabbed his needles in preparation to take down the Master. The boy didn't seem very competent.

"Shige, run and get Koyuki. With their assistance we can deal with this monster swiftly so that there will be _no more victims_." She was giving her own Master commands. But he didn't seem to feel mistreated. Rather he nodded seriously and then sprinted off.

"Reinforcements?" Collingwood clicked his tongue. "Not gonna happen." He rushed past Caster. They swiftly exchanged glances. She knew what to do.

"Face me directly, cowardly manipulator!" Rider was blocking their path.

"I really cannot stand this type, Master." Caster seemed to be slightly miffed and then shot a magic missile at the blue armored woman. "But I will put my trust in you!" She extended her left hand and created barriers in the air. Collingwood jumped on top of them and then kept moving ahead right over Rider's head.

"Hmph!" After blocking the magic attack with her shield, Rider slashed above her and destroyed the barrier Collingwood was jumping on. He fell down helplessly, so Rider simply kicked him so hard that he would be crashing into a nearby car. It might even have killed him… if he was really there. "What?!" She spun around to see the running magus a few meter behind her already.

And another to her left. Three next to Caster.

"Trickery." She spat out in disgust.

"It's what I do." Caster smiled and then showered her enemy in photon bullets. It kept Rider busy for long enough to make it hard to attack Collingwood without opening her own guard.

"You leave me no other choice. I will have to slay you faster than that man can reach Shige." She flipped the flute from her belt into her hand and applied it to her mouth.

"If you deign to fall into a limerick praising my greatness now, do not trouble yourself. I am far too humble to let it get to my head." She placed Astral Cards behind herself in preparation for the worst.

"Jest all you want." Rider pressed her lips to the flute and played a melody.

It was soothing… and yet full of energy. Caster found herself mesmerized for just a moment. That tune seemed surreal and not from this world. Each strand of melody created another rush in the listener's heart and equally a gash in reality.

As the notes played out the air started to crackle with prana. This was a sign of the Noble Phantasm's activation.

She couldn't afford to keep standing there like a target, but… her mind was so tranquil.

The gashes in reality were slowly tearing it apart. Each note was another slash at the very fabric of the world. And beyond that rift, beyond even the farthest reaches of the known world, there was something more. Something ancient.

" _Hear my melody and return to my side-_ " Rider stopped her play and then smashed her flute into the bending space next to her. Like a hundred giant diamonds the rift in space-time shattered, reflecting an unknown light source and created a wormhole in the perception of the world!

" **Gyllir!** "

The thunderous neigh of a giant steed reverberated throughout the street.

The next moment the portal lit up in golden light and the silhouette of the magnificent horse was burned into Caster's eyes.

Its golden hooves cracked the pavement below and her wings were spread so wide that each spanned the length of a car.

The sentient creature looked down upon Caster with deadly blackness in each eye.

Rider put her armored hand to the horse's head and it nuzzled against it, like a trusty companion.

A winged white steed.

"Let us ride to battle once more old friend." Rider jumped up on its back with ease. It did not resist. There was no saddle or leash. They were connected as one without anything needing to tether them to each other at all.

The steed moved into its deadly gallop with the gallant warrior maiden on her back!

"Flying horses, flying monkeys, flying pigs, it matters not." Caster said with a confident smile. "All will return to the stars one day!"


	24. Silver streak above the rebelling skies

**Life's keeping me busy, but I'll keep up the 1 chapter per week schedule. I guarantee it (maybe)!  
**

* * *

 **Silver streak above the rebelling skies**

* * *

The man had been following her through the alleys for a while now. There was almost no doubt left. This was one of the mysterious Servant's puppets. All she needed was one glance at the enemy's true soul to be able to figure out their modus operandi.

One glance…

She stopped her sturdy steps and put a hand on her hip. The reflection in the pieces of a broken window revealed a lanky black haired man at the edge of the street corner behind her. He appeared shady already, but she could not sense much beyond an inert animosity. There was no killing intent or darkness directed her way.

She couldn't be sure yet.

With a sudden jump to the right she dashed off into the small backalley, fast enough to elude her stalker's view. If he was really following her then he would appear soon enough, but more importantly she would be ready.

A few seconds later the anxious man appeared and kept looking around the dusty corners and cobwebs in the shadows. There was no sign of his prey anywhere. He scratched his face in an unpleasant manner until it turned red, but eventually he kept searching. There was a small basement door next to an old building. Perhaps a cellar.

The lock was broken.

The man grinned darkly. His demeanor returned to perfect calm and he slowly bend over to open the wooden seal on the cellar entrance. After pulling it aside he peeked unto the darkness below. The low sound of metal clanking together below made him certain of his success. He pulled out his phone and had one finger on the recall button when suddenly a numb pain hit him across the back.

"What the fu-?!" He was kicked straight into the cellar, painfully rolling over the steps and then crashing into a stone wall. "Arrrgh!" He held his scraped arm with his other shaking hand and immediately rose up from the cold ground.

But she was already blocking his exit. The woman in her leather garments whose long blonde braided ponytail was shining in the evening sun. Her silhouette against the light was intimidating.

Without averting her silver eyes from him she slammed the wooden plates shut and then descended the stairs. There was no escape.

"You have been following me." She opened with a glare.

"…." He gritted his teeth, but did not reply.

She focused her Mystic Eyes on him. It was strange looking at this cowering man, but not sensing anything special. In fact all she could see were the normal flaws of any mortal man. There was nothing that seemed to connect him to anything supernatural. His soul was… clear.

" _Why_ did you follow me? Explain." It fed an uncertainty in her heart. Her eyes were infallible, but there was the possibility that the enemy Servant used some method she could not discern. If it was not so, then who was this man and why did he follow her?

"…I ain't squealing." The man spat out and swiped his hand in a big gesture of refusal.

"It was not a request." She moved her hand forward which was suddenly covered in a metallic glove. It pressed around the man's throat with ease and the next moment he was lifted off the ground! "Who are you working for?"

"Grrrkh! Crzyy… btch…" He had trouble speaking as his throat was crushed.

"I have no tolerance for scum and cowards." Her expression was dead serious.

A cold shiver ran down the man's back. Those cold eyes of hers had no capacity for mercy. After all these years dealing with tough guys and killers he had gained a sixth sense for this kind of stuff. This killer lady was not afraid to get her hands dirty.

His mouth shivered as he finally spoke up.

"C-can't… reveal my client…" It took everything he had not to buckle in.

"A client you say?" She looked on stoically. Then she suddenly slammed him so hard against the wall that he could have sworn his bones were tingling. "Do not treat me like a fool. You will come to regret it."

"Fuck…! That hurt dammit…" He coughed a few times as she finally let go of his throat. It was covered in red marks, same shape as her glove. "I ain't lying! I was hired to tail ya."

"By whom?"

"Like I said, I can't betray my-" A lance was impaling the floor between his legs. It looked primitive… and really sharp. This thing would cut him into ribbons with ease.

"Peer deep into your memories. Do you truly remember the identity of that 'client'?"

What a weird question. He thought for sure she would have kept asking him to snitch on his employer, but instead she questioned if he even knew them in the first place? That was ridiculous. They had just talked yesterday. In his office…

"Huh?" He put a hand to his face and suddenly broke into cold sweat. They met… yesterday? When exactly was that? What was the voice of his employer… No, even before that, what did they look like? His memories became hazier each moment.

"Remember."

Her silver eyes were focused so intensely on him that he felt them burning his mind. The heat was spreading all throughout his body, like tentacles wriggling below his skin… the pain was horrible. He couldn't focus. Each second that he did not KILL this woman was was was was-

"My… my head!" He shouted while clutching said head and then suddenly tackled the woman. She was much too rigid to even be affected though and just slapped him back into the corner of the dark cellar.

"You are under their influence, but you do not know anything?" She questioned him without sympathy for his condition.

"AAAAHHH! It hurts! Hurtshurthurtsssss!" He wriggled on the ground and started pounding his head against the wall.

"Cease this at once." She grabbed him by the neck and held him up again. His struggling was in vain.

"Don't want to… lose my-my-my-myseeeelf!?" He cried. He cried like a little kid as the hand clasped his brain and crushed his self. Then he went limp.

"Curse you cowardly manipulator." Rider growled as she looked upon the indifferent expression of the man in her grasp. His aura was completely different, even if her eyes could see nothing but the façade of the vessel. That's how that Servant evaded detection. Their puppets did not change…

"HHHellOO thErE." Alien sounds escaped the lopsided grin of the man. His eyes were completely white and rolled back into his head.

"You implanted false memories into this man's mind. As such he acted on his own volition." And in turn it was harder to tell who was controlled by this puppet master.

"IIIiiii T-t-twEAked soooome DeTaaaails." The inhuman words forced through unwilling muscles were eerie beyond belief. "ASSSUminG ddddd-d—d-direct controOOolLl is soooo v-v-v-veerrrrryy uNNecesssSSSaaaaarry!" The puppet cackled.

It was sickening. Rider would have preferred to impale this monster right here and now, but this man was innocent. Involved by a malicious creature and toyed with by forces beyond his reckon.

"Release the body this instant." She said with all the disdain she could express.

"THHHHreatening m-m-mMME? Unnnnwww—w-w-ise." He cackled so strongly that it resembled a cough fit more than anything.

They would not relinquish control. She could tell that the bastard was enjoying this. Rider grasped the man's shirt tightly and then pulled him behind herself. It seemed that further talk was pointless. She would keep her promise and bring this vessel to Koyuki so she could attempt her exorcism.

"BbbrrrIInging mmme to th-the-the Shinto giiiiiirrrrrLllL?" The possessed man asked curiously.

"!" Rider's hand twitched for barely a second, but her reaction was enough to confirm his suspicion. How did he know about Koyuki? They had not encountered each other yet. Unless he was keeping tabs on them with more puppets. But they would have realized then-

Wrong. If this Servant implanted fake memories into their victims and made them react to certain stimuli, then _anyone_ could have been a puppet.

"Kekekeke!" His disturbing laugh made her angry. "ISEE verrrrryy GoOD! YOUR strrrrug-g-gLLLes are AmUSing…" The man truly sounded delighted.

"We will free these people from your malefic control and then I will find you and exterminate you myself." Her fist shook in anger. She suppressed the instinct to punch the puppet.

This monster. This bastard was enjoying the suffering they created. Playing with people's lives and acting like a _god_.

"YYyyyour disdaIIiin… for th-s-s-sose that RULE… ddddeeeellicioussss!" The man's hands firmly grasped for her face. Almost as if picking up a flower from the wayside.

Rider slapped the hands away so hard that she might have accidentally broken his bones. She could not control her movements much longer.

"I wwish. TO SEE. Youuurr fuLLll hatreeeeed! Aha… kakakahaha!" His throat roared in disturbed laughter. She was about to forcefully shut him up when the convulsions began. The man could not stop laughing as his eyes bulged out and his veins began to grow.

"What are you doing?!" She was powerless to watch the man twitch in horrible agony in her hands before blood started to ooze from holes in his neck and face.

"Doing what you wished for." Suddenly his voice was entirely stable. While blood ran out of his mouth and down his shirt. "I release this meaningless pawn."

"Sto-" She could not even finish her sentence before the man released his last breath. It was as if someone had pulled his soul out of his body, torn by the vessels that held him together. His body went limp in her arms and became cold in an instant.

A puppet that had lost its strings.

Rider had seen many men die. Some in her arms just like this. Being nothing more than a pawn of those in power. Who gave them the right to do this?

She could not open her mouth or yell. The low smoldering flame in her chest was burning away all her reason, but she could still not give way to that rage.

The corpse in her hands was judging her.

In all these conflicting emotions she remembered one thing crystal clear.

The enemy knew about Koyuki and decided to sacrifice their pawn instead of letting Rider bring it to her. It was a flimsy hope, but she could not give up on it. The puppeteer was interested in the 'Shinto girl'. If she guessed right that interest was not entirely for the sake of amusement.

She carried the corpse outside and contacted Archer.

* * *

" **Gyllir**!" The name of the steed echoed throughout the street.

The instant it had rushed into a gallop it was already right in front of Caster. If she had not finished her preparations just seconds ago she might very well have been trampled. Instead she backflipped straight into an Astral Gate she had created and appeared several stories above on the rooftop of the Town Hall. She looked down on the ground level to see the horse crash straight into the spot she had stood in before, but was caught off guard by its black eyes coming closer at alarming speeds.

Somehow the giant horse had managed to adjust its trajectory with impossible reflexes and changed its path to the vertical. Those wings were not just for show, the thing could clearly ride on the air without trouble.

"Then let us see who is faster." She mumbled and created a new gate with her cards. Rider was glaring straight at her, which gave Caster a bad premonition.

The golden hooves crushed the tiles where Caster had been standing a second ago and the steed turned into a white blur already, immediately tracking her down a few roofs away on another house.

And it closed in _fast_. It was much faster than even a high end sports car with the flexibility and reaction time that surpassed even that of certain insects. Its eyes could not have been as perceptive as those of a fly though, so how did it track her so accurately?

She jumped into another Gate, but the moment she arrived on the bridge the horse was already about to catch up. Caster was baffled by its speed, which seemed to be still increasing!

"Another-" She jumped through a gate and then chained it straight into another "-and another-" She warped around the city, swiftly bringing distance to their initial location. She jumped from rooftops to statues, to trees and then a back alley, but there was no escape. Each time she jumped Gyllir and Rider seemed to get all that much closer to catching her. "-and another….!" She felt her mind spin as she pushed through the next astral gate.

"You will not escape judgment!" Rider's lance missed Caster by mere centimeters as she had actively pushed herself off the rooftop rather than jumping once more. The steed turned at utterly impossible angles and was already returning her way. The silver-white streak that it had turned into seemed to create ribbons in the air.

Caster's mind was drowning in nauseating swirls and contradictions. As she had once explained to her Master, the Astral Gates were a manifestation of her applying different perspectives to her reality. For distance was only a matter of perspective. But such a feat took a toll on the mind. She could not repeatedly change her perspective at such ludicrous intervals. In fact she felt her limit fast approaching already. It was only natural that the distance she skipped ahead became less impressive each time.

It was not even that the winged horse became faster – although that was undeniable as well – but rather that Caster's wormholes became shorter.

Even as she fell down into unpopulated street at frightening speed, the horse already caught up, so she was forced to summon a new gate below herself.

"Not this time!" Rider pulled back her weapon arm until her muscles pushed up her armor – and then she threw the lance after Caster with brutal precision.

"Thank you very much! I have been waiting for such a gift!" Caster twisted her hands and gave her opponent a savvy smile (she hoped that it did indeed look confident) as she created a portal in front of her as well. The lance was shot right into it and Rider's surprised expression was almost worth the pain that sparked inside the lilac haired girl's mind as the double portals took their toll.

Rider had to jump off Gyllir to avoid getting impaled by her own lance. It swished right above the steed's mane and crashed through a window next to the descending duo. Rider kicked off the wall and then rolled into the broken window to retrieve her weapon. Gyllir flew right back, as if it had a homing instinct and presented its back to her rider.

Caster was nowhere to be seen. Her countermove had bought her the time to escape… for now.

Not very far away the girl in question was leaning against a postbox of an apartment building and holding her spinning head with one hand. She just needed to take a quick breather and then…

"How persistent could she be?" She complained as the white streak already crashed through the alley next to the building and appeared to be closing in on her specifically. There had to be a reason for this… she could not just have been so lucky.

She changed her approach immediately. Running away the conventional way was useless. In an extended race of endurance she stood no chance whatsoever.

Then she would simply have to face her enemy like she wanted!

"You stopped running like a cowardly rabbit. How surprising!" Rider held her lance forward and aimed it at Caster's heart.

"I admit to my incredulity only this once. Just how do you expect to know me so well, high and mighty judge?" Caster spun her hands and gathered her prana.

Rider did not reply. Of course she didn't. Caster squinted her eyes as she didn't move from her position in the slightest. Gyllir made no signs of stopping, but how much longer could it keep that up?

Rider's silver eyes were not showing her true emotions, but any moment now…

Gyllir was mere ten meters away from crashing into Caster…

The hooves were already crushing the rails of the staircase!

Rider put a hand on her steed's neck and the horse instantly stopped in its tracks. The same moment she jumped off and stabbed her lance through Caster's barriers.

"Relying on innocents to cover for you… You disgust me!"

"It was a gamble, but it seems you really do have that heavy sense of honor." Caster ducked below the lance's arc and then flipped over the incoming kick, before deflecting the next slash with a barrier. Behind her and the door one could hear the hurried steps of people. If Rider had continued her momentum with her winged horse they would have destroyed the walls and crushed whoever lived behind them.

"I will exterminate you, so there will be no more senseless loss of lives, murderer!" Rider punched through a barrier with so much force that it burst open and scratched Caster's cheek. The force of wind behind it toppled over several trash containers behind them.

"I might be wearing a lot of black, but do you really presume the grim reaper to be this pretty?" She quipped with a pounding heart as she jumped over the balcony of a flat above and then swung around a laundry line before jumping through another gate. She could not afford to stay in that lance's range after all.

Of course Rider could 'saddle' her horse faster than a person could start up their motorcycle, so she would follow immediately behind.

What was Rider's obsession with protecting the people from _her_? Caster needed to figure this out and soon. She might have used a backhanded tactic to get herself a little breather, but there was no reason to think she would kill innocents. These knight classes had a flair for the melodramatic and chivalry, but even a Caster had her own pride.

"Upsy-daisy!" She kicked up a garden rake and used it to slightly deter the lance from beheading her. The white streak was taking increasingly smaller spiral paths around her and each time it passed by in a flash Caster was a little closer to getting a limb cut off. The garden she had stopped in was covered in dozens of lines now, delivered straight from the divine hooves of this Pegasus-alike creature.

Indeed, the winged steed was more than it appeared. It was not just a horse with wings, but rather a phantasmal creature. Similar to a Pegasus perhaps, but not the same. These divine beings were exceedingly rare, even during the age of the gods. In the modern era one would be hard-pressed to find a single one. They lived in their own worlds and dimensions. If Rider had access to such an elevated being, then her allegiance and identity were becoming all the clearer.

Caster's barriers broke like paper under the all-surrounding attacks and she could feel that the next slice would truly hurt her. With incredible flexibility she bent backward and went right under the attack aimed at her neck. At the same time she spread out a whole deck of cards above and let them all fly over the white streak circling her.

It had taken just a few seconds to charge them all, but even that had been a strenuous task while evading death.

"Prepare for the fireworks!" She flicked her fingers and triggered all the cards at once.

Rider raised her armored hand in front of her eyes as the huge purple explosions pushed Gyllir back and shook the entire area. The chain explosions kept going and she had to kick her steed in the side so it would rush off as she jumped forward and blocked the heavy explosions with her mysterious shield. It was surprisingly tough and managed to block off the fiery magic from impossible angles.

'A special shield… another Noble Phantasm?' Caster surmised. It was small, but its patterns were certainly unnatural. No human could have created such a fine piece of craftsmanship.

Rider had managed to shield her trusty companion well enough, but that only proved one thing to Caster. The phantasmal horse had low durability. There would have been no reason for her to protect her steed if it was not susceptible to this level of damage!

"What was that? You'd like an encore?" She pretended to cup her ear for the audience. At the same time she flipped something through a gate behind her and Rider looked at her with utter disdain. Without a word she kicked forward and stabbed her lance into Caster instead. The short-haired girl did not expect that. The explosion that hit the horse with full force should have been plenty distracting, but…

Gyllir had reacted on her own. She had kicked off the grass, leaving a huge crater, and flew up into the skies to avoid damage.

"To see your vile tactics in action has proven even more that you have no right to keep your head." She hit her shield into Caster's arm which she had used to block the lance with a stack of astral card boosted barriers.

"Hrm… you have an odd habit of speaking your unpleasant desires out loud." Caster's right eye was closed in pain for a moment as she retracted her bruised lower arm. The next slash came without mercy and then another. Each of Rider's attacks cornered her evermore. The fence behind Caster was cut into pieces already.

"…" Rider spun on her metal boots and rammed the bottom of her lance into the earth. It catapulted her upwards and gave her the momentum to cut Caster down.

"Enough!" Caster's eyes turned focused and she jumped upon her hands. Then she moved in a parallel motion to the down striking Rider. With a dainty kick to the blonde woman's chin she pushed them apart and then rolled over the remains of the fence.

Rider barely staggered from the kick and was ready to pursue, but then realized something was stuck to her armor. She grimaced as the prana bomb was released. Her armor was tough for sure, but she had no magic resistance to speak off unlike Lancer. The explosion sent her flying back a few meters and she had to stab her lance into a tree to stop sliding.

Seeing how she clutched her scorched chest plate, Caster could finally say that she had gotten a hit in.

"That makes us even I would say." The frail looking magician smiled as she wiped the blood from her cut cheek and got up from the destroyed planks. "Don't think I forgot about you!" She clapped her hands and suddenly there were three of her.

The same instant Gyllir crushed through the doppelgangers and brushed across the ruined garden. Rider was still in a condition where she could easily jump upon this bullet speed level horse with ease, _mid-gallop_ at that…

"If you are able to hold your ground, why rely on puppets and civilians? Why choose the way of the coward?!" Rider shouted as Caster rapidly brought distance between them by running up a hill and then crashing through a bus stop.

Caster wondered how this self-righteous she-knight could hold a conversation while at the same time turning that bus stop into a pile of rubble, but her words were certainly giving some insight.

"I may be presumptuous here, but I fear you have me confused for someone else." She raised her hand upwards and channeled an enormous amount of prana into her fingers. This one would really have to work or she would have exhausted herself for nothing. "I may be a trickster and a 'coward' as you say, but I am also a _solo act_!"

Rider was so focused on her that her silver eyes never strayed for a moment. Perfect.

The shining light of her photon explosion was enough to blind a normal person permanently. It was brighter than one hundred flood lights in the Matsumae sports stadium focused on a single spot. For just the fraction of a moment the entire district was shining in the light of day!

Rider had to shield her eyes which were hurting enough to make her tear up. Gyllir became so unsteady that she crashed into a car which promptly started to set off its break-in alarm.

* * *

When the blonde warrior woman regained her eye-sight, the resourceful trickster in black and purple was already long gone. She wiped her hurting eyes one more time and then increased the focus of her Mystic Eyes.

For the entire duration of the fight she had kept them activated which was a draining process. She could feel her concentration and energy waning. The stinging pain of that flashbang was not helping her case either…

But it was necessary to keep her special eyes open. It was her trump card against the evil mastermind pretending to be a young girl. The image she saw when she first laid eyes upon the frilly dressed Servant was incongruent with reality. She saw neither the girl nor the shadowy shape behind her clearly. The moment she had turned her Mystic Eyes away only the false shell remained.

Such a distortion in perception sent ripples through the world. Although her Mystic Eyes were entirely granted to her for the sake of judging a warrior's character and soul, in this special situation she could always tell where her target would be. The frequency of her existence was that unique.

She patted Gyllir who had just raised herself up from the wreck she had created and then straddled her once more. The steed neighed weakly, but not out of pain. She was considerate towards her friend. Rider could not help but give her a curt smile. To be comforted by her mount was still rather shameful.

They rode into the night sky and surveyed the area.

There were no people about in the immediate surroundings. She had no clear understanding of why normal people tended to naturally avoid a duel between Servants, but she could guess that it was connected to mental manipulation by the overseers. That did not mean they could be careless. As shown before, if they directly mingled with a place filled with people they would still run the risk of involving them.

The evil trickster had used people before, so it was no surprise that Rider went towards the lowly lit park. Just a few streets over she could see a gathering of people who were merrymaking in some sort of festivity. And in this adjacent park she could even see a couple below a tree engaging in flirtations. The young man was leaning in for a kiss.

The white streak created an arc of death. In an instant the couple and the tree behind them were cut in two. Blood sprayed from their severed corpses and sprayed across the green grass. The old tree fell over and created a cloud of dirt and dust. Gyllir's feathered wings were harder than steel. Only very few things could resist such hard objects at high velocity.

"No hesitation, is it?" Caster knelt just below the level of the slicing path. Sweat was running down her soft face. "And you call _me_ the evil one?"

The corpses dissipated into light particles, as befitting of such frail illusions. If Rider had been wrong she would have to answer for that poor couple's life. But she could not have been wrong. That was the conclusion.

"Then I may assume those eyes of yours are not a mere magic trick either." She laughed and then straightened her back. She had now confirmed that running was out of the question. That blue-clad Rider could track her movements with her special eyes. The question was who would run out of stamina first. Nothing had changed since the first time she had realized this.

Yet Caster seemed much more relaxed than before. The tension she had displayed while being chased before was gone. She had even returned to her flowing and dance like movements as she dodged another white streak.

Rider stopped Gyllir's attacks and glared at her opponent, who was starting to become somewhat blurry… no that was her vision itself. She rubbed her eyes and grabbed her lance tightly. She was running out of time. The next few attacks had to count.

"What are you scheming?" She yelled down at the unperturbed girl.

"A magician never tells her secrets." She put a finger over her lips and winked.

Rider frowned and put her shield away. She would go full offense now. The runes on her armor began to glow in a faint green. If that was her attitude, then she would let the distorted fake keep underestimating her.

If she was right then the foolish schemer was going to activate her Noble Phantasm for some sort of counter-move. No matter what a coward threw at her though, she would prevail. She would end this before Shige and Koyuki could arrive. Then nobody would have to be a puppet again. So that nobody would have to die because of her...

* * *

Shigechiyo ran like hell. His breath was ragged after just a few minutes. Koyuki had said her goodbyes and boarded the train back home, but he didn't have the luxury of taking a train or bus. The dark of the night increased his anxiety even more. He could feel the scary man's steps behind him.

'How did this happen?!' He cursed the persistent freak that had followed him the entire way. Rider-san had said she would keep them busy, but it seemed that the Master of the mastermind had slipped past her.

The man was fast, but Shige felt like he was actually holding back. He would have caught up with him already, but instead he ran after Shige with a well calculated distance. Was he gauging what ace he had up his sleeve? Too bad for him, Shige had to disappoint in the special powers area. Even his stamina was not as good as it used to be when he still played baseball regularly.

On the other hand he was really scared of what that bastard could do. He must have been a real mage. Even the dainty Koyuki could fight evil spirits like it was nothing, so what would that scary looking adult be able to do? When turning a corner he had caught a good glimpse of him. The man was wearing a coat that had a big hole around his chest area. In general he looked pretty battle worn.

The fact that he was still alive just confirmed that he was tough. Shige had no illusions towards his survival rate in a fight with magic. If he could make it to the Yukimura Shrine or at least close enough for Archer to notice him…

"GAHH!" The pain spread through his stomach like a shrapnel from a grenade. The kick had been so unexpected that all the air was pressed out of Shige's chest.

When did he… get in front… of him?

"Are you really just a kid?" The gruff man was mustering him carefully. He really was suspicious to an eerie degree.

Shige staggered back and caught his breath. He connected the dots and realized that the magus had just used a shortcut over the bistro terrace that he had passed before. Afterwards he had simply waited for Shige to turn the corner and then kicked him with the power of his own momentum.

He had no baseball bat or weapon with him and in fact wasn't even sure if those would have raised his chances at all. So all he could do was…

Dash off!

"You got pretty strong legs at least." The man reacted with an annoyed tone and then threw something after him.

Shige jumped to the side, expecting an explosion or something equally scary, but the low 'thunk' of needles hitting pavement was all he could notice. He hurried towards an alternate route. The large hill with the shrine on top would come into sight in just a bit!

 _Stab._

A sharp pain went through his right leg. He could feel the burning sensation spread, not dissimilar to a syringe when he got a shot from his doctor a while back. He cried out and toppled over. One of the needles that the crazy guy was throwing had actually stabbed his calf. The bleeding was surprisingly weak for such a huge needle, but the pain was horrible.

Although fear was rushing through his mind he got up and started running again. The pain was not unbearable! He had to get away and get help-

" _Link… start_." The man said calmly and raised his hand.

In the next moment Shige's world started spinning. It was not because he was flying or anything outlandish like that. He just tripped. His leg had suddenly become so rigid that he could not properly run anymore and he planted his face into the sidewalk quite painfully.

Tap, _tap_ , tap…

Without any hurry whatsoever the magus strolled his way. He was already certain that he caught his prey. When he arrived behind Shige he knelt down and put one of the large needles to his throat. The message was clear. One move and he was dead.

"How did you end up in the Holy Grail War, kid?" He asked with an emotionless expression.

"…." Shige did not reply. What did it matter now?

"Not cooperative." He shrugged and then pulled Shige's arms back. The hold he was put in was often used by the police as well. The more the criminal struggled the worse the pain got. With a twist of his wrist, the magus inspected Shige's right hand.

The faint blue glow of the seed shaped Command Seal confirmed Shigechiyo's Master privilege.

The dirt-brown eyes watched him darkly.

"You are in over your head… but that is not my problem." He spoke slowly. "Did you even know? If you kill a Master you gain their Command Seals for yourself."

The words were sickeningly calm. Almost like an unimportant anecdote.

But to Shige they were like a death sentence. The cold blade of the reaper's scythe was under his neck. His eyes widened in fear as he felt the needles inch closer to his throat.

He had to call for Rider-san! The power of the seals would allow him to summon her to save him!

"Are you confident that she will arrive faster than I can terminate you?" The cold words seeped into Shige's ear and reached his soul… they made him despair.

It was over. This was where the foolish Master's path ended. The fool who had thought he could do something so far beyond his meager ability found his end pathetically in the dirt of some dark unknown street. All he could feel was fear of death… his final moments were not courageous or devoted to his friends and allies. There was only immense fear of the end.

"Guhh…!" He cried out with tears in his eyes.

The pendant rolled out of his jacket pocket as his body twisted and then went limp in the puddle of his own blood…


	25. Seed

**Watching Avengers left me a bit drained, but here we go lol  
**

* * *

 **Seed**

* * *

Collingwood was pushing his leg against the boy's twisted arms, right into his back. That way he was pretty much immobile and would not struggle. The kid couldn't have been older than 17. Probably still went to high-school. For a magus this was an appropriate age to step into the world of adulthood, but this one wasn't even qualified to become someone's assistant. He could pretty much feel no prana from him. The amount of magic circuits this kid had could either be counted in one hand or he had none at all.

Somehow he had summoned a Servant though. He couldn't pretend that he wasn't curious about that. The Grail chose qualified candidates, but until now he had assumed it was a ritual solely for mages or people with magic aptitude. How did one sustain a Servant otherwise?

Either way, he now had pinned down a Master without much effort, so he should make use of that situation. The boy kept quiet and wasn't even trying to talk himself out of the situation.

"You are in over your head… but that is not my problem." Something about this kid reminded him of someone else… He watched the blue Command Seals on the boy's right hand glow mildly. "Did you even know? If you kill a Master you gain their Command Seals for yourself."

It was a rule he had only learned of a short while ago himself, so it wouldn't surprise him if this outsider had no idea. And sure enough, he stiffened up after hearing those words. Fear exuded from his body.

It was almost too easy. Like picking fruit from a low hanging branch…

Collingwood touched the Command Seal with his little finger and felt a strange tenseness rise inside him. It was right here in front of him. A foolish Master like this one would not make it through the war anyway. The seals and privilege were wasted on him. The sooner he took this nuisance out of the equation the faster he'd be rid of another enemy Servant and so much closer to his goal.

The Grail was shimmering through the reflection of Collingwood's eyes… the blue pattern on the boy's hand… It would not even be painful…

Having double the amount of seals would make his battle so much easier. He could give Caster support and still have plenty of room to keep her in line. So much power at his fingertips. The temptation was immense.

He noticed that the boy was twisting his hand as if trying to raise it. Only a few seconds more and he would call out to his Servant.

"Are you confident that she will arrive faster than I can terminate you?" He threatened him angrily. The gall this failure had to still try and resist. Some people needed to know when to give up.

It was time to take him out. He stretched his hand forward, the needle glimmering in the glow of the distant street lights.

In a swift twist he put his arm around the shaking Master's neck and then choked him out. In seconds the green haired boy lost consciousness.

Collingwood exhaled as he felt they boy go limp. Some of his tears had dripped on his hand. He wiped it on his coat and then moved back. He felt a bit guilty for going weak for a second. For a moment he had actually considered doing something horrible to the kid. But killing him would only have weighed on his conscience.

Of course he could not allow such a prime opportunity to pass him by. No sane Master would ignore such a present handed to them. Those Command Seals were his for the taking.

He put his needle away and then traced the boy's right hand. There were other ways to transfer these marks from one person to another. While he had never learned transfer magecraft in particular, his family style was rather perfect for this type of thing. His Origin was binding and he could transfer concepts to a certain degree. Combined with what basic knowledge he possessed of mana transfers and the like, he was certain that he could pull it off. At least when doing it to an unconscious subject.

"Analyzing structure…" He muttered as he kept tracing the seals. "…concept code… destabilizing…" A weak green glow connected Collingwood's hand and that of the enemy Master's. "…opening vault… subtracting conceptual barriers…" Hundreds of details rushed through his mind. The spell was turning more complex by the second. Not using the needles as a conduit made the range of his magecraft grow immensely, but this task was daunting. The information flooding his brain was almost overwhelming.

The world was made of concepts. What humans perceived as 'matter' and 'existence' were just concepts given form. To bind the essence of everything to himself was the truth of his spells.

The blue Command Seals' concept was 'addition'. It added immense amounts mana to a single command. Straight provided by the Grail, its second layer was 'communication'. To directly affect the Servant's spiritual core and make them unable to resist. Each layer was peeled away slowly and methodically until Collingwood could feel the flowing 'essence' of the seals gush inside the meta-realm beyond human eyes.

"You are mine!" He focused his eyes and focused his prana into a single point.

That's when his stretched out foot hit something small inside the tiny puddle of blood that was flowing from the boy's injured leg. A pendant?

The one second of distraction was fatal. Not because the spell had dissolved or become unstable, but rather…

"Oof!" Collingwood could not believe what happened. He had received a heavy blow to the guts and was then tackled by the one he had assumed to be subdued and unconscious!

"Grandpa's… pendant…" The boy raised his hand where he had picked the small piece of jewelry up. His eyes were dull, as if he was barely conscious, but his aura was completely different. The young man was clutching the pendant with what seemed a wooden marble in its center and huffed in pain. The needle stuck in his calf was probably still hurting him.

"You should have stayed down." Collingwood gritted his teeth. This pointless interruption strained his patience. Now he had to knock the kid out again. It was a waste of his energy.

"Rider-san is depending on me." The boy seemed to struggle with standing straight, but his voice had become determined. He put the pendant around his neck and raised up his fists.

It couldn't be… he actually decided to take Collingwood on?

"This is why I can't deal with children." He growled.

* * *

The air was still. The moment before two great forces clashed the scenery always seemed quiet and slowed down. Silver eyes met purple. The ribbons flowed gently across the destruction. The green runes pulsated on impact.

In under a second Gyllir had crashed into Caster.

In less than even that time, Caster had jumped through an Astral Gate.

A path of destruction was razed into the park as the winged horse flashed across it. It spun around and hit Caster again. Rider stretched her lance forward and stabbed through the girl's dress. She only hit fabric as the incredibly agile magician had dodged at the last second, but the moment they even touched a huge shockwave of pressured air created a crater inside the earth below them. One of the runes had flared up and then turned dark.

Caster jumped over the armored woman's shoulder, waving her torn dress behind without hesitation. The next moment she shot forward a magic chain. Gyllir moved too fast for it to reach, but a portal appeared and swallowed the chain. The next instant the white steed was behind Caster, but was intercepted by the chain that passed through the end of the wormhole.

Rider cut through it and shattered it.

As the sparkling chain links rained down the white streak grazed Caster ten, no fifteen… twenty times! It was picking up speed beyond anything the human eye could follow. Tearing the sound barrier and all that stood in its path apart. Trees and benches exploded into shrapnel and Caster's silhouette was torn apart.

Jump, pass, jump, pass – tear- jump!

Beyond the impossible speed lay the never stabilizing existence of the magician girl that kept jumping short distances with each blink of her enemy.

How much longer could she keep it up!?

Chains shot from her hands - crushed.

Blasts that would tear apart even the blue-clad armor spread across the air, but the white streak slalomed between them!

Dodge, dodge, dodge!

Whoever landed the blow would be victorious!

Caster stopped in the middle of the storm of destruction and stretched her hands to the sides.

"DIE!" Rider's silver eyes shone in all their beauty and flashed across the slowed down world. Her lance already impaled the doubles and went straight for the true Caster's throat. The shockwave from her boosted lance was making the magician's hair flutter back and tore off some of her ribbons-

The world stopped.

Rider's arm was extended forward to its utter limit and the lance gently touched Caster's neck with just one atom.

"W-h-a-t…?" Gyllir had stopped moving in mid-gallop. Rider's silver eyes turned blue as she felt the exhaustion from the insane rush catch up to her. The world unfroze and all the destroyed trees and objects around them crashed down.

Rider could not move, similar to her steed.

Caster smiled, albeit with a sweat covered face. That smile was definitive… she won. In a rather jovial gesture she pushed the lance to the side with her fingertips and then flung her devastated dress back to cover her exposed skin. With a clap of her hands the two dozen portals closed.

And at the same time the invisible chains took on the color of violet flowers.

Gyllir and Rider were caught in 200 hundred mighty chains. Unable to move a single muscle inside the crisscrossing shackles. The magical bindings had been stuck into the ground, the air and dozens of portals all over the place. They even seemed to be attached to the very air itself, until one noticed that they infect stuck to astral cards.

The flying destruction had been caught similar to an insect in a spider's web.

"You pushed me quite far. This headache will follow me for at least an entire day." Caster put a hand to her head and chuckled unhappily.

"You believe chains would stop me?!" Rider pushed her lance back and crushed one of the chains. As long as she was wearing this armor and able to move even a little, she could easily break out of-

 **BOOM!**

The wave of heat from the explosion singed some of Gyllir's hair. Rider coughed as the smoke dissipated. She was clueless as to what had happened. Caster hadn't even moved.

"My dear knight, you have found yourself in an unfortunate trap. Mobility is the one thing I could not allow you to keep, so I had to resort to a somewhat crude… solution." She lightly tapped one of the chains and it shook enough to pique Rider's attention. Finally it became obvious just how dire the situation was.

Every single chain was covered in several fully loaded astral cards. Every single of them explosive. Just as the vibration was about to hit the card, Caster made it stop magically.

"…." Rider was speechless. She had allowed herself to be caught in such a basic trap. Now she was completely at her enemy's mercy. A single wrong move and they would be blown to bits. This shame… it was unbearable. After all of that, she was not even able to force this smug girl to use her Noble Phantasm?

"Let me ease your mind. The reason I have not relied on my true power is that it is not suited for this kind of battle." Caster saw right through her thoughts.

It was almost eerie. Those clever eyes did not betray a lie, not that Rider could tell anymore now that she was too exhausted to make use of her Mystic Eyes.

To be comforted by the words of a monster like her though… Rider gripped her lance so tightly that her gauntlets began to deform. She felt even more agonizing shame, rather than taking solace in it. The puppet master had played her as well.

"We should have a swift talk." Caster hummed with a much more relaxed expression than before and sat down on top of a barrier as if it was a chair. "Aha, but I could never face you with such an unseemly look. Just a moment." She slid her hands across the tattered dress and it was instantly recovered to its former beauty and wholesomeness.

She was mocking her. There was no doubt in Rider's mind. This insult to her pride and ability could only have been to make her make a wrong move and end it. This Caster took a cruel pleasure from torturing her.

"Much better. So let me introduce myself once more. I am a Servant of the Caster class. My life motto is: 'I serve everyone, but bow to _none'_." She bowed her head exaggeratedly with an elegant hand gesture. "For the sake of courtesy I do not take it too literally." She winked.

"You bastard…" Rider was biting her lip until it started to bleed.

"We should not bring family into this conversation. That would be a sore topic for the both of us I presume?" She raised a brow, but didn't break her smile. Those knowing eyes were rubbing her the wrong way. "To make a long story short, we met with bad blood between us. In my humble opinion the cause for this is a misunderstanding."

No word she could spout would change Rider's mind now. It was meaningless to listen to her prattle on. Her loss was certain already, so she would not give her the pleasure of joining her little play.

Her left hand was resting on Gyllir's back. She needed to release her steed fast, so she would not be harmed. To drag this noble creature into her failure was against everything she believed in.

The pulse of the horse reverberated inside her veins. They were connected far beyond the bond of friendship and trust. They were soul mates. If she had to end her ambitions and lay down her life, she was glad that she could spend her last moments at the side of an old friend.

Her mind wandered to Shige. She had failed him the most. After his decision to risk his life and well-being for her selfish wish too. Under this dark sky she could only hope that he had reached their good natured allies and found safety in their abode. Koyuki was a kind soul and Archer a gentleman that would defend the weak. Perhaps forging and alliance with that pair was the only good decision she had made.

Gyllir's low huffing snapped her out of her reverie. She could feel the old comrade's intentions through a single exchange of looks. The dark black eye of the horse was all-telling.

Rider was unable to respond. Gyllir had not given up yet. But what she wished to do was suicidal!

Rider subtly shook her head and rubbed her steed's neck. It was over. She would accept it as long as Gyllir could escape.

The phantasmal beast's wing slowly moved throughout the hundreds of chains, it was so close to its body that it had an easy time sliding below Rider's legs.

"Are you listening?" Caster clapped her hands to regain her attention. "We have a common enemy. It would be prudent to at least hear me out, after all your life is at my fingertips." She didn't seem to enjoy threatening her much… no, what was she thinking? Someone who relied on such trickery was clearly heartless.

A common enemy? This was a deathmatch. Everyone was their enemy, but there was no reason to listen to whatever proposal came next. It was predictable enough. Certain of her superiority, she would force her and Shige into submission and use them as her new pawns to fight her enemies. Then she would throw them away at the end of the war. This humiliating end would not come to pass.

Gyllir subtly moved forward with her wing. Rider could feel a steady hold below her boot. There were dozens of chains in front of her. Touching them could have horrible repercussions. She could not do it. Not for her own sake, but Gyllir's.

This trusty horse… was real. Unlike a Servant who was just a copy of a true hero, this was the one true Gyllir! She could not endanger her life any more than this. She would undo their contract by breaking the flute, so Gyllir could instantly return to her world. The moment she disappeared the chains would crash down on her and tear her apart with magic explosions, but it would have cost just her already lost life.

The wish of a dead woman could not outlive her oldest friend.

Gyllir neighed.

"I have never gotten quite used to horses." Caster seemed more intrigued than alarmed. "You should rein it in, lest you accidentally touch something you had better not." She warned her nonetheless.

"Gyllir…" Rider felt unspeakable emotions when looking at her friend's determination. It was selfish to think that she was doing this for her. In truth, she had just resigned herself and wanted to ease her conscience! Gyllir had sensed her weakness and was urging her forward.

The enemy was right in front of them. Even if it was risky, as long as she could deal the finishing blow right away, they could save the lives of countless people from that manipulating Servant.

"That's a beautiful name." Caster commented quietly. She seemed to truly think so as even her eyes turned more gentle.

Deception. Nothing she was new to. A look so condemnably fake she wanted to destroy it.

That was the trigger.

In an instant Gyllir's wing tensed up and pushed forward with the strength of a cannon! Rider flashed forward and right through the intricate web of chains. Her spear had already cut through Caster's surprised defenseless body before she had realized what was going on.

Rider knelt behind the cut down Caster and leaned on her lance. This time she had felt a clear direct hit. The blood on the top of her trident like lance was real too.

"…how bold…" Caster gasped for a moment.

Rider spun around. She had not finished her off, so another strike was necessary!

"Does your companion mean so little to you?" The cold words were hitting her like a wall of ice. Caster's eyes were so utterly devoid of emotion that it made even Rider feel distressed.

The lance stopped in front of Caster's outstretched hand.

Her other hand was ever so close to flicking the index finger and middle finger. _She would do it_. Without another warning she would kill Gyllir in an inferno of magic. All the cards across the chains were glowing.

"Put. Your. Weapon. Down." Her orders were at the critical limit.

Rider's hands were shaking… until she let the lance sink downward. It clanked as it hit the pavement. Surrender.

Gyllir's black eyes stared onward with sadness.

"You are lucky, so _very_ lucky, that I am an endlessly patient person." Caster's cutting words were far from her previous playfulness. "This kind of madness would have gotten your friend killed by anyone else." She held her bleeding side. Rider had cut her waist quite deeply, and the wound was only closing slowly. She leaned against a barrier behind her, so she wouldn't topple over. It looked incredibly painful, but she did not even twist her face. It was a mask.

"I surrender my life… but let Gyllir go." Rider swallowed her pride and begged for her friend's life.

"Such pleading might have been more effective about one murderous attack ago." Caster mocked her with venomous words.

"…I beg you… for… forgiveness…" She could barely utter another word. She went onto one knee.

"Fine~"

Everything changed.

In the next moment all the chains surrounding Gyllir disappeared and she was free as a bird. Caster's mouth turned upwards and she returned to her casual smile.

Rider felt the confusion starting to affect her sanity.

"Those who ask for forgiveness should be forgiven if they truly mean it. Heed my advice though, as it is usually precisely accurate, if you ever attempt something so foolish again, you will not get a second chance." The happiest smile accompanied the darkest threat.

It was nonsensical. She had given up her absolute advantage. She was injured and weakened. This was madness!

"You cannot…" Rider's mouth was agape. There were no words.

"Oh, but I did!" Caster laughed. She actually _laughed_ , while holding her bleeding side! "Are you now more favorable to listen to my story, _honorable_ knight?"

The way she said 'honorable' solidified it.

Rider _was_ in the wrong. It was a fact. Had she not been the one to hunt this magician down relentlessly without giving her a chance to make a case? The one who resorted to a cowardly surprise attack was not the lilac haired girl subtly breathing through the pain. It was all her.

Gyllir walked over hesitantly. Her life was spared far too easily, so even the graceful horse seemed to feel indebted.

"Haah… phew." Caster was clearly not alright, but she hid it quite well behind excessive poses. "You are not one for conversation, I have taken note. To be brief then, my Master and I have encountered this 'manipulator' you spoke off. We have made the unpleasant acquaintance already. A Servant that took control of normal citizens and used them to attack my Master." She spun a ribbon around her index finger and recollected the event shortly.

"…" Rider could only listen. She had no right to ask anything.

"We will keep looking out for them as well. Seeing as we have set off on the wrong foot, I will not ask you to work with me, but at the very least you should refrain from accusing me of being someone that I am not. That is the _only_ transgression I cannot stand." She pushed her finger against Rider's nose almost casually and then disappeared with a sardonic grin as she noticed the blue-clad woman's shock.

"Blue matches your outfit much more than silver~" Her voice dissipated as the illusion did as well. Even the blood spread across the ground vanished.

Rider felt an immense sense of defeat. To the very last moment she had been toyed with. Had she ever even talked the true Caster? The blow she landed had felt real, but…

The moment she had deactivated her Mystic Eyes, Caster had returned to using her deception. How foolish to think otherwise. In the end she was not trustworthy. Something inside Rider's heart still told her that she was grateful, but it was overshadowed by suspicion and reluctant fear.

Could she believe any of the words she had heard this night? Perhaps not. There was no proof that Caster had truly met the same dark Servant they were hunting. One thing was certain though.

Never would she take this illusionist lightly again.

* * *

Shigechiyo was drowning inside darkness. In the realm between consciousness and dreams there was nothing to witness. Nothing to realize. Nowhere to go.

Like stardust on the blackest sky a few thoughts trickled across.

He had met his end at the hands of an enemy Master. His life was over. But this was not the afterlife. This was not even nothingness. Where was he?

An image flashed by the dark landscape.

The pendant was lying not too far away. Out of reach still, but he could see it clearly.

"Grandpa's... pendant…." He stretched out his hand. He had to grab it. It was all he had left of his grandfather. How had he forgotten about it inside the dusty box on top of the wardrobe all this time? He used to look at it all the time as his grandpa played with it… telling stories of his adventures.

He missed him so much. There had never been enough time. Then the sickness had made it harder for them to connect… eventually there was nothing tying them together.

Mom and dad had left for Tokyo, but Shige never left.

Never… left…

The pendant was in his hand. The pendant his grandfather owned. The pendant that kept Rider-san in this world.

Rider-san… she was relying on him. A pendant so small and breakable was all that tied them together.

He would not lose this bond again. _Never_.

Shige opened his eyes. He stood in front of the annoyed looking mage. His fists were raised as if to await the next attack. Even though he did not remember how he had survived or gotten out of that stranglehold, he knew that he was in danger.

"You should have stayed down." The gruff man said angrily.

But Shige couldn't. If he stayed down he would lose something again. The life he had been given by Rider-san was still useful. He could still go further than this.

"Rider-san is depending on me." His eyes regained their light and he moved forward. With a left hook he tried to hit the magus' chin, but he dodged.

"This will end the same way as last time, just give up." He threw another of his long needles at Shige, who had predicted as much and moved out of the way.

The mage had expected his counter as well and jumped to the side. With a flick of his hand the needle that had missed Shige returned from behind and stabbed him in the back.

Or it should have.

"Hell." The enemy Master looked at Shige with resignation.

Shige looked back and noticed that the needle was floating in the air. Stopped short right behind his spine. It slowly moved backwards and then fell down into the street gutter. To his surprise the needle that was stuck in his leg did the same. It moved out of the wound and then uselessly fell on the hard pavement. The wound did not bleed anymore either.

"How is this possible…?" He hastily looked all across his body, but he saw nothing unusual.

While he was still checking for oddities he was caught off guard by a sudden stab to his shoulder. It was a hunting knife with a sharp pattern! The mage had pulled it out from his pocket and instantly stabbed him.

Except it uselessly bounced off.

Shige was just as surprised as his enemy. No, more so!

"I see. A protective charm." The mage deduced with a sigh. What was he talking about? He could not follow, probably because of the shock. "Doesn't matter. I have some experience with that kind of stuff." His dark brown eyes were becoming scary.

"B-bring it on!" Shige was glad to be alive, but the fight was still not won. He swung again, but his fist was not fast enough. The knife cut his arm – bounced off- and then he felt a kick to the back of his knee – which also stopped short.

"Armor type." The mage jumped out of the way of Shige's kick. Due to his previous attack he was in a bad spot though and finally received one of his punches. The feeling of hitting the man across the face was surprisingly numb. Like he was wearing boxing gloves. "Pfft." He spat out red saliva.

The fight continued like this for a while. The magus was getting dozens of hits in with his knife and melee strikes, but they did not even reach Shige. In turn he could get some lucky hits in. Just as he felt like he had gotten the advantage he suddenly heard a loud creaking.

"Waaah!" He shouted as the lamppost hit him. It had been felled somehow when he had been distracted. It crushed down on his head- "Eh?" He blinked. The long metal post bend as if it had hit something extremely durable and then rolled off his head.

"That isn't normal." The magus said while cupping his swollen chin. He mustered Shige with analyzing eyes. Despite the blows he had taken he seemed mostly fine.

Not normal? Yeah he knew as much! This was insane. Somehow his body was completely protected from damage.

"Ow…" He felt a light sting in his chest for a second, but then it was fine.

"?" His enemy had noticed, but could not make anything of it. He instead jumped forward for a punch. As Shige just tried to take it (he was invincible right now), he was suddenly grabbed by the arm. The hold was slightly above his actual sleeves, but somehow he still was pulled forward. "Down you go!" He was slammed into the ground.

It didn't hurt, but he was still surprised that he was actually moved. The next moment he felt some light weight on top of him. He looked up and saw that the magus tried to pin him down again, but it wasn't as painful as last time.

A long needle touched the protective sphere again. This time it slowly slid through the defenses though. Shige panicked and kicked the man off.

"Unbelievable." The magus growled as he looked at his needle in contemplation.

He was just figuring Shige's capabilities out right now. If he let him do as he pleased he would eventually find a way to hurt him again… Shige balled his fists and went for an all out attack. His body felt so light, but his punches really hit harder than usual. The taller man had to retreat between his chained punches. Now he even deflected the attacks with his knife a few times.

Shige moved forward to headbutt the cornered magus, but then the floor below him crumbled and he fell into the sewer hole! Just as he seemed to fall into darkness he was suddenly grabbed by the arm and then held up forcefully. A huge piece of a metal fence was place on his arm to pin him in place.

Shige struggled as best as he could, but the man was seriously good. His experienced movements made it harder and harder to struggle.

"You will make it only more painful if you keep this up." He said with squinted eyes and put his needle through the defensive barrier.

"Ouuuch!" He felt the needle penetrate his hand. It was really painful.

"I will be taking these… so shut up and bear with it." He was focused on the blue Command Seals.

Take them? Didn't he say before that killing a Master would transfer them? Like hell he would let himself get killed! He pushed his legs against the inside of the sewer ladder and forcefully pushed himself out.

The man suddenly rammed a heavy metal cover on top of his chest. It was the one that usually sealed the sewer hole. And it was glowing with a green seal. Despite his protection, the weight actually managed to come through, albeit weakly.

' _Shit!_ ' He was completely unable to move. He gritted his teeth, but to no avail. His heart sank into his stomach as he realized that he was pinned down for good.

"Forcing…. Concept transfer…." The mage was sweating too. Whatever he was doing apparently took a lot of concentration and energy. The needle inside Shige's hand was pulsating, not just from pain anymore.

"I don't know how this works, but Rider-san!" He shouted into the empty street. Now was the time to use one of those seals this bastard wanted so badly. He would summon her over to help him.

His heart stopped. What if Rider-san was about to corner the puppet master? Did his failure really justify stopping her just cause…? His pathetic self hit him again. If he was so weak he should have ran again, to get help. Instead he had gotten overconfident and thought the could fight on his own the moment this miracle happened.

He shakingly pushed his body to its limits. With determination alone he moved the unbelievably heavy sewer cover off his chest. The pain in his right hand was already numbing his feelings in his entire arm.

It was time to prove he was worthy of Rider-san's trust!

With a powerful kick he flipped back and surprised the magus. They collided and rolled over the ground. The needle in his hand was pushed in deeper, which brought him close to pained tears, but he instead punched him with his left.

He grabbed the hunting knife from the ground and stabbed forward. At the last second the mage pulled back and let go of the needle. He then kicked Shige without effect and got a knee to the gut. No time to slow down!

Another barrage of Shige's punches finally worked out. The momentum was unstoppable. He managed to draw blood with the hits and even cut open the coat several times with the knife.

"Huah!" And then it was all reversed. With a numb feeling to his neck Shige noticed that he was hit by a long pipe. The magus held it like it was light as a feather, but at the last moment it had returned to its true weight and actually made Shige stagger. The next moment he was disarmed. Then he was pushed against a car and crashed face first through the window.

Each time he got hit by the metal door he felt a sting in his chest rather than his face.

Finally the needle vibrated in his hand and was pushed out. Its metallic clanking on the car hood was what snapped the man out of his bloodlust. He let go of Shige's neck and stepped back with a distressed expression.

Shige felt numb all over and his chest hurt, but otherwise he was still able to fight. He got out of the wrecked car and focused his blurry eyes. His fist was raised and he could feel the blood drip from the inside.

"I didn't mean to…" The magus whispered something in clear shock, but Shige didn't care. He would bring this bastard down tonight!

Just as he was about to launch a new attack, the magus seemed to react unnaturally fast. He rammed his needle into Shige's neck area, which was stopped short, but not enough. The needles pierced the pendant's chain and it suddenly fell down onto the sidewalk.

Without warning all places he had been stabbed or cut before started burning again and the bleeding returned!

The magus breathed heavily and watched Shige squirm on the ground. He hastily kicked the pendant further away. Between the painful jolts in his mind Shige recognized what that meant. The pendant had given him this super-durability.

"No hard feelings kid…" The man said with a shaking mouth and finally calmed down. He grabbed him by the arm and pulled him up again. "If it's any consolation… you were tough." He grabbed the right hand to transfer the Command Seals again. Shige had not strength left to resist.

 _Fwish_

Something insanely fast cut off a single strand of the magus' hair. His eyes widened in shock and he immediately turned to look towards the roof on the opposite end of the street.

There he stood, in his red and black uniform. The imposing silhouette of the powerful Servant.

"Archer…-san…" Shige called out weakly with infinite relief.

"Reinforcements?!" The man could not believe it.

But it made sense to Shige. He could finally see the Yukimura Shrine in the distance. The big hill/small mountain was visible from the crossing. Shige had… made it. He fainted instantly.

* * *

He had been so close. This couldn't be happening. Collingwood was losing his cool. The boy was still in his grasp. The seals in his hand. Only a bit more and he would take out the first Master.

The Servant standing in the distance was aiming his bow straight at Collingwood. The next arrow was already ready to be fired.

Instinctively he grabbed the fainted boy and held him up as a human shield. This was his hostage… his only way out.

"I suggest you let go of Shigechiyo-sama. My arrows will find the right target no matter where you stand." The deep voice of the Servant reached him all the way across the street as if he stood right next to him.

"Sano-senpai!" And yet another person arrived from the end of the street. Unlike the Servant she could not jump across rooftops and instead just ran on ground level. She seemed quite out of breath. Collingwood was too anxious of the Servant to really take note of her at this point.

Archer. Of all the possible enemies he had to encounter the one he had the least chance of escaping. What option was left to him? As the Servant said, he would headshot Collingwood even if he had a hostage. This wasn't even the red Servant's Master.

"A-Archer-dono, please don't shoot!"

"As you wish Koyuki-sama." The Servant obliged.

Collingwood could not believe it. The girl must have been the Master then, but why would she say something so stupid? For just a few moments at least, he was safe?

"Please let Sano-senpai go and we will not hurt you." The girl shouted across the street. She was walking over slowly, as if not to make him do something hasty.

Of course he knew that she was completely wrong about how to approach a hostage situation, but he was not actually trying to take a hostage anyway and for now that girl's naiveté was his only lifeline.

"Back away Koyuki!" He yelled back. Picking up names fast was essential for survival.

"Ah, uhm… y-yes." She stopped her steps nervously.

Now was the decisive time. He had come this far. If he just kept distracting her he could get away…

Something in his mind slipped out. _Couldn't he do even more?_

His hand was still on that of the boy's (was he called Shigechiyo?). He could still finish the transfer. It would only take a few more seconds. Sweat ran down his bruised face. It was risky, but he felt confident… no he had to _be_ confident.

"If you don't move I won't kill him." He put the knife the Shigechiyo's throat to underline his superior position. Hopefully that Archer was as obedient as he seemed.

"I u-understand, but c-can you not let him go? We will not harm you if you do not harm him. I promise this on the Yukimura name."

For some reason this young girl assumed that the 'Yukimura name' meant anything to him. Also was she dressed in a shrine maiden uniform? It almost felt like he had seen her before.

"Why should I trust you?" He asked to buy time. The blue seal were already starting to fade from Shigechiyo's hand.

"Because… er… I really mean it." She stuttered and pushed her hands together as if in prayer.

Was this girl real? Even Collingwood could not stay completely tense when met with so much innocence. His hand would not slip despite that though.

"Alright, if you are so serious, then order your Servant not to attack me." He was really pushing it with that, but he needed only a few more seconds.

"…if that is what it takes." Koyuki had lowered her head, but now she looked up seriously. She raised her hand over her head and the Command Seals lit up.

"Koyuki-sama… you have no need to obey a hoodlum like that." Archer said gently. He did not bark at her or complain, he just seemed to make a suggestion. His patience was rather shocking.

"I know Archer-dono. But I think that I can trust him. His aura feels… familiar." The girl was too far away for him to see what she looked like. Maybe she was actually joking or perhaps she looked crazy.

But for just a moment he felt his heart convulse painfully. It was the sting of guilt… and curiosity. Trust? How could she use that word so freely? In this situation?

His hand wavered.

Why now? He couldn't even understand his own heart anymore. His hand sank down from Shigechiyo's arm…

"The tin man has a heart after all." A rather familiar voice reached his ear from close by. "We should make ourselves sparse, don't you think so too Master?" Caster put a hand on his back. The next moment only the two of them stood inside an empty alley. A trash container and some moths were the only other things around.

"Did you win?" Collingwood asked with his hand still stretched in an angle to hold up the boy. His stiff arm had trouble moving back after the tense situation.

"I won some valuable Intel on who not to play tag with." Caster replied sardonically.

"…you are hurt." Collingwood glanced at her bleeding side.

"Shallower than it appears. It will close in a bit, conveniently enough. We Servants are truly resilient." She leaned against the dumpster with a fleeting sigh. Despite her words, the wound seemed to heal rather slowly. It must have been really deep when she received it. "It seems you did run into some trouble as well."

"I could have handled it…" He replied as he pulled a out a cigarette from his chest pocket and shakingly put it into his mouth.

"It was an unwise attempt to continue the theft of the boy's seals."

"How-"

"I had been watching for a while." She replied with a smirk. "You were surely aware that this would have ended in your demise?"

"You think… that Archer would have shot me?" Collingwood asked with the cigarette shaking between his lips.

"Hmhm, I could not pretend to know that. But the boy's gallant knight in shining armor was already on her way. Furthermore you were watched by another uninvited guest." Her eyes turned sharper.

"Who?"

"I suppose a… common enemy." She replied with an instinctive motion to her injury.

He didn't know exactly what she was implying, but there was one particular enemy that came to mind. If that was true then he had underestimated the sphere of influence of that thing.

Caster stared at him for a while. Her purple eyes were mysterious, but he had no mind to discern their meaning right now.

"Even the calmest of sages will run out of patience eventually." She finally opened her mouth.

"What now?"

"It appears everyone wishes to test me today." She sighed theatrically. "I still await your special words with baited breath."

"Huh?" He gnawed on his unlit cigarette and squinted.

"How many times does this make I wonder? A less humble person than me would surely have kept count." She stepped forward in an exaggerated way and looked up his face. "You are proficient at playing the damsel in distress, if nothing else." She put a hand to his chest and grinned.

Now he got it. But that didn't mean he was going to indulge this behavior.

"I save you again and again, but where is my thanks? What is a frail maiden to do with such a stingy Master?" She pretended to be deeply distressed.

"…" He would ignore her all the way to the hotel. Without saying anything he walked out of the alley.

"Even for a hermit, you are simply too antisocial." She said with a hint of genuine disappointment and slumped forward. The sudden movement seemed to sting her side.

"…let's stop by the 24 hour pharmacy on the way back." He mumbled. "You used up my first aid kit after all. Need some painkillers and balms."

"Hehe." She chuckled with a soft expression at his clumsy attempt to be considerate.


	26. One step forward

**Two steps in the bag... Wait, that's not how the idiom goes.  
**

* * *

 **One step forward**

* * *

"Please lay him down here!" Koyuki requested anxiously.

Rider put Shige down on the hastily prepared wooden table. He was breathing raggedly in his unconscious state. The moment she had arrived at the scene of the battle she had been holding him in her arms. Koyuki's words had barely reached her, but she managed to register her plea to take him to her home. She had carried him all the way here with a grave expression until she was finally forced to set him down.

The blonde woman watched as Koyuki rushed through the supply room and brought back some first aid material. It didn't seem like she was very confident in using it, but she did her best. Shige's injured hand and leg were already wrapped in cloth, but the blood had soaked them completely.

The attacker, that enemy Master, he had pierced Shige's hand and leg with a sharp needle, which left the wounds relatively small, but it didn't close up as it should. It didn't appear to be infected at least.

"His hand w-w-wasn't pierced completely." Koyuki stuttered and tended to the right hand with the Command Seals on it. "I can use a Kuji-in to boost his vital energy, but i-it won't heal the nerves… s-s-so… we should bring him to a hospital-"

"…." Rider glanced at Shige's pained face. This was the second time she had seen him lie in front of her, beaten and weak. The first time was during her very summoning, but hadn't she sworn to protect him back then?

She clasped the pendant in her fist.

With a firm motion she put it on her protégé's chest. In an instant he glowed in a foreign violet hue. Koyuki shrieked as the boy's hand shot up. The open wound was not bleeding anymore. Shige trembled for a few moments and then coughed. His eyes opened just a tiny bit.

"Sano-senpai!" Koyuki leaned back in and tried to hold his shoulders in place as he twitched. "Can you hear me?"

"R-Rider-san…" He called out to her between coughs.

"I am by your side." She knelt down next to him.

"D-did… did we… did we win?" His coarse throat made it hard to understand him.

"You survived." She replied softly. Survival itself was victory for now. Shige's face relaxed a little.

"Sano-senpai, we need to get you to a hospital. Your wounds have stopped bleeding, but you still need treatment-"

" _No_! It's fine… I can't go to the hospital." Shige adamantly denied her while raising his head and then fell back onto the pillow that had been pushed under him. "Just let me… rest." He muttered and then closed his eyes again.

"But…" Koyuki was lost. She clearly was not used to these stressful situations. She never had to make tough decisions on the fly.

Rider knew why he had said that. If Shige went to the hospital he would be unable to participate in the Holy Grail War. He would be questioned and put attention to himself.

Without even hearing his reasoning she knew. He did it for her.

"Koyuki." She called out to the worried girl.

"Y-yes Rider-dono?" She gulped.

"The pendant will keep him together. Treat him as best as you can and he should recover on his own." It was a callous statement. She knew it sounded heartless.

Koyuki looked on deep in thought and then nodded quietly.

Rider stood up and walked out of the room, onto the moonlit terrace. Just as she looked up with her blue eyes, a spot of red joined the scenery. Archer leaned against a tree close to her and simply watched over the garden with a thoughtful expression.

Deftly, she sat down cross legged on the porch and sighed.

"Speak your mind." She requested without tearing her gaze from the moon.

"Shigechiyo-sama displayed true bravery today. He had cornered a magus all on his own." He said while slowly stroking his goatee.

Rider did not reply to such trite praise.

"I regret having arrived so late. Koyuki-sama was inspecting the puppet you had brought to us." He nodded towards the entrance of the burial chamber that was build below the shrine about a century ago. Inside there was a cold and dark room which was used for the purpose of laying corpses down and preparing them for the burial ceremony. Right now it was used for the first time in almost a decade, unbeknownst to the shrine's owner.

Rider lowered her gaze from the serene white moon and slowly moved it across the entrance in question.

"I felt the force of your clash, but our reaction time was… regrettable." He crossed his arms and apologized quietly.

"You arrived before me. I should thank you for intervening in Shige's fight."

The events flashed before her eyes. After she was humiliated by Caster she had felt something odd. Just for a second the connection to Shige, forged by their contract, seemed to be cut. Her heart had sunk into her stomach and she had rushed over the city on top of Gyllir. In mere seconds they had sped across the blurry streets and reached the place where Shige had collapsed.

There had been no sight of who did this to him. Only the hurried steps of Koyuki echoed through the street.

"I did nothing of import." Archer appeared to have his own regrets. "If he had not hesitated at the last moment…" He cupped his mouth in thought.

"It was my fault." Rider said with squinted eyes as she rubbed her arm. "I told him to contact you. It was my stubbornness that made me think I could deal with this enemy before anything would happen to him." She gritted her teeth. If she had been calm and collected at that moment… she would never have let Shige run off on his own. Especially when he was hunted by an enemy Master. How could she have been so blinded by rage?

"For whatever reason it seems that Caster's Master did not intend to take Shigechiyo-sama's life." If she interpreted his unreadable face, it was probably the only reason he hadn't killed the man on the spot.

Perhaps it was pity for someone so young. Maybe he simply had no interest in Shige at all. To be at the mercy of one's enemy was shameful nonetheless. Like Master, like Servant it seemed.

"We were utterly humiliated." She admitted with a balled fist.

"Your battle did not end favorably then." Archer surmised.

"She toyed with me." She nodded with a shadow over her face. She curtly summarized her fight for him.

"Hm. A trickster then." The red-clad soldier moved away from the tree and leaned against the walls of the temple instead, diagonally to Rider. Usually she would have been uncomfortable with someone standing behind her, but she appreciated it this time. "Do you believe her words? Is she not the one we sought out?" His intelligent eyes were now hidden from her, but she could feel his inquisitive gaze on her back.

"I cannot be certain. My Mystic Eyes did not work on her." She explained and held her head. The repercussions of overusing her power were still assaulting her mind. Did she tell a lie? Or did that girlish smiling face speak the truth?

"The enemy of our enemy is an ally." Archer said lightly. "And the puppet master is an enemy to us all."

"Don't be foolish. They are all enemies. Plain and simple." From the side he could see her cold smile.

"She spared you for a purpose."

"Probably."

"Is it not so you could take care of an enemy that she cannot defeat by herself?"

"Fighting puppets with pawns… I will never allow myself to be used that way ever again." She kicked a bit off sand into the air.

"Then so it shall be. We will outwit both parties and show them our worth. Loss, humiliation, wounded pride. Those things have no permanence in a war. As long as we still take breath we can return from the precipice of defeat." He spoke with a gentle, yet firm voice that could have rallied the troops in an instant. A General through and through.

"You remind me of the Skálds. They had a way with words, playful, dancing inside your mind. But they seemed to believe what they said in the end and so the people believed their words in return." Her nostalgic memories were a comfort now.

"Do you believe my words as well?"

"I have not yet heard your singing voice." She laughed and then rose from the porch. Her mood had improved, but she did not forget her failings. Instead she would use them as a step to rise above her previous self.

"Song and wine are for nights such as this." He said smiling. "Yet I could not raise my voice around the injured." And the smile turned into one of sympathy.

"Shige will recover."

"I do not doubt it. Your certainty is infectious." He folded his hands inside his sleeves. "If my eyes did not deceive me, Shigechiyo-sama's body has been poisoned by magic. My Master had not noticed, but you must have felt it."

"I know." She revealed.

"And yet it was all spilled out of him in an instant." He raised a hand before she returned inside. She stopped. "Have you noticed?" His sharp eyes were far from accusing, but he would not let her pass until they cleared this up.

"What?"

"The pendant."

She nodded. It would have been impossible to miss for her. The artifact was what kept her in this world. The strong flow of prana tunneling from it into her spiritual core was powerful as ever.

When she had picked up Shige from the ground she had also taken the pendant with stiff hands. It was undamaged from the fight, pristine and humming with a mystical power. The casing was made from an otherworldly metal and the wooden marble in its center spun in place ever so slightly. But one thing had changed since the last time she had seen it.

A small wooden thorn had grown out of the marble.

When they inspected Shige he had a tiny scratch on his chest, right around the area that a pendant would hang.

"Is there something you hide from your Shifu?" Archer's question was still not accusing, despite the deliberate wording. He merely showed his concern.

"…I will talk to him about it." She promised and then pushed past Archer's arm.

He stayed outside with an unreadable expression. The moonlight was only covering half of his face.

"Great power always comes with a price."

* * *

A few hours later Shige had regained consciousness and sat up inside his futon. His body felt sore, but other than that he was surprisingly okay. Once again he felt a small pressure covering his entire being, but it was not painful. His hand and leg were bandaged even though the bleeding had stopped already.

Koyuki seemed infinitely relieved to see him back up and he could have sworn that Rider-san was glancing his way with a hint of worry.

"Err… sorry for letting that guy get away." He felt he had to apologize at least.

"It was our fault." Koyuki shook her head understandingly. "I told Archer-dono not to shoot."

"Why is that?" Shige had no recollection of the events after he got knocked out naturally.

"Ah." Koyuki reacted just as confused as him. "I… am not sure. Something about his aura made me feel like I could trust him." She whispered.

"How did that crazy guy look trustworthy?" Shige's eyes became dull in response. As far as he remembered that violent bastard had looked like a criminal who beat up kids for fun. The whole unkempt hair and damaged coat look really wasn't trust inspiring.

"I really don't-" She fidgeted around. "P-please forgive me." She lowered her head.

"I wasn't mad or anything." He calmed her down with hand gestures. Making her look guilty was a crime.

"Shige, you suffered a great deal due to my negligence." Rider-san finally spoke up.

"Is everyone going to apologize now?" He felt embarrassed. "Rider-san was just trying to do the right thing."

"Shige…" Her deep blue eyes met his, which forced him to avert his gaze. "No, I cannot let this stand. You are the one I swore to protect. If I had to make a choice between capturing the puppeteer and saving you, the answer is obvious." Her determination was renewed.

Shige looked at his knees below the blanket and smiled faintly.

"That's right! Friends need to stick together!" Koyuki nodded cutely. "We will save everyone with our combined power." As naïve as she sounded, it was exactly that bright nature that helped them get over their mistakes.

"I agree wholeheartedly. In the interest of that goal we wish to give you an update." Archer had entered as well and bowed his head slightly to the awoken Shige. "Are you able to move?"

"Sure thing." He forced himself up and almost tripped over the blanket. Rider caught him and offered him a shoulder. She was still slightly taller than him, so it was easy to lean on her. If only it didn't make his face heat up so badly!

"If you would Koyuki-sama." The great hero was acting completely subservient to his Master and let her take the lead.

Koyuki showed them the way to the underground room. The key for the lock was in her hakama. How she had gotten a hold of it was probably not important.

"Auntie is asleep right now. I made Sora check." She explained. "We left in a hurry so I could not tell her that we were gone."

She really wanted to tell her aunt? Shige didn't know whether she was just precious or dangerously carefree.

They descended the steps and immediately were greeted by the smell of disinfectant and mold. An unappetizing mix.

Of course most people's stomach would have revolted anyway upon seeing the corpse of a middle-aged man barred inside the center of the room. His face was still contorted in a horrific smile with wide open eyes. Dried blood was spread all across his face and clothes.

Shige was already unsteady on his feet, but now he felt nauseous too.

Surprisingly Koyuki seemed to be fine with this view.

"His license said his name is 'Hiroyuki Sada'. He is… I mean _was_ a detective."

"Police?" Shige felt a cold shower down his back. They had a dead cop in here?!

"Ehm… no, more like a great detective that would capture a phantom thief." She explained it with one of her favorite childhood stories.

"Oh, a private eye." Now he got it. He felt guilty for being relieved by that… that was still an innocent man dead.

"I inspected him to find any signs of possession." She explained matter of factly and hovered her hands over the limp body. "There was no spirit residue at all. His body was empty. The soul had already left when Rider-dono brought him here."

"I-is that normal?" Shige asked while trying to not look the corpse in the dead eyes. He failed.

"It is not uncommon." She said with a low voice. "Uhm… the last time I saw an empty shell like this, the spirit had devoured the soul completely. But this is different." She seemed to have trouble finding the words.

"His soul was torn apart." Rider suddenly interjected.

"Y-yes… I have come to the same conclusion." She nodded sadly.

"Which means?" Shige couldn't keep up.

"The parasitic entity overtakes the host. That much is common for possession. But this evil spirit… or whatever it is, it completely destroys the host when it leaves." Koyuki explained so he could follow.

"Huh?" That made Shige freeze. "B-but the trio that attacked me was fine! They didn't get their souls destroyed." They had been walking and talking like usual.

"That bastard did it to give me a warning." Rider said with one hand on her waist and anger in her voice.

"So it wanted to show us that it will kill the hosts should we try to do anything to them." Archer concluded.

That was not good. Not good at all. It would make it really hard to stop the puppets. Even incapacitating them would not save them if the puppet master wanted them dead.

"Koyuki." Rider caught the shrine maiden's attention. "That thing talked about you like it knew you."

"W-what?" The poor girl was caught off guard by that.

"When it figured out that I wanted to bring this man to you, they immediately finished him off." The facts put new light on the situation.

"Could that mean… that they are afraid of Yukimura-san?" Shige asked with surprise.

"I hope so." Rider-san nodded. "You must have something that can become dangerous to them." All three of them looked at Koyuki with imploring expressions.

The pressure was strong, but Koyuki just stared against the wall in thought. Her musings ultimately turned out fruitless. She shook her head.

"I cannot think of anything. Maybe mother or Aoki-dono could, but I am not…" She clasped her hands together and looked down in shame.

"Master." Archer was standing behind her and put a warm hand on her tiny shoulder. He really towered above her when they stood so close to each other. "It may seem like there is no answer to the questions that trouble you, but nothing will be solved overnight. The heroes you look up to have faced trials that would bring them to the edge of their ability. Sometimes even beyond. The answer always arrives when we need it the most, but not a moment sooner."

She looked up to him with shining eyes. Somehow he always found the right words.

"We probably need it soon." Shige whispered while rubbing his neck. The pendant dangled over his chest ever so subtly.

* * *

Inside the hotel _Ahnenrast_.

"Hngh." Collingwood grunted.

"That young boy really made a mess of you, didn't he Master?" Caster rubbed balm on his swollen face, as well as salt into his wounded pride.

"I was winning until Archer arrived." He knew it was pointless to defend himself in front of this one, but he could not stay quiet. Also the way she spread that stuff actually really burned.

" _Do not move so much_ … My my, is that so? You seemed to be pushed into a corner even before his arrival." She finished her treatment with a light clap on his cheek, which made him feel like a child even more.

"You really just watched me, huh?" His voice somehow found new ways to sound annoyed.

"It is prudent to let men duke it out until they are satisfied. Elsewise they will ramble on about their pride." She shrugged and then sat down on the extravagant couch. For once she did not try to sit in peculiar spots.

"You didn't fare any better this time." He pointed at her injured side. Although she had insisted it would heal soon, he could still tell that she was not completely back to form. "Are you going to be fine?"

"Why yes, I feel better already, knowing that you _do_ care after all." She said with a sharp smile.

He glared at her until she finally added more.

"Now that we have returned to the ley-line I will be able to recover much faster. The fight with that stone-faced woman has exhausted my resources ever so slightly."

Knowing her tendency to exaggerate the good and underplay the bad, he could tell what was really going on. She had actually been quite exhausted during her battle and was unable to recover until she could refill her mana reserves. But a Caster should have much bigger mana pools than a normal magus.

"Hmph. You are transparent once again Master. You were just belittling me in your mind." She acted indignant, but it was a rather obvious act. "It is true that my reservoirs are sizeable, but I cannot access them completely."

"Why not?"

"Conservation. Would you prefer that I faded away from lack or prana?"

"Like I'd believe that." He wasn't that stupid. It might be true that he could not provide her with appropriate amounts of prana due to the magnitude of her spells, but her reserves were far greater than that.

"You are most unkind." She smiled unapologetically. "A magician always keeps a trump card in their deck."

"Could you drop this act just once?" He sighed.

"What would be left if I did?" She tilted her head funnily. "I was mostly serious though. There are many enemies lurking in the night. If I had used all my energy on recovery there would have been nothing left to fend off the ghastly shadow that followed us."

"So Derickson's Servant really was on our trail…"

"That or the citizens of this picturesque town have taken a liking to watching our street performances." She joked with one hand on her cheek.

Bad news all around. Caster was nearly defeated by that tenacious boy's Servant and now Derickson was on the prowl again. If they were lucky they would defeat each other.

He felt a surprising twinge in his heart when he pictured that fight. There was no reason to feel guilty and yet… Imagining Derickson standing above the corpses of the boy or the girl made him feel angry. Maybe it was because they were just kids. Men like Derickson and Rézny did not care about such minor details though. Only victory would stop their fists and legs.

"That Rider's lance is nothing special, but its curse has slowed my healing." Caster was the one to restart the conversation. She touched her side, which didn't seem to hurt as much as before. Either the pain killers Collingwood had given her finally started working or she really did heal faster with the ley-line below her. "I would prefer not to face her in the open again. Her phantasmal beast far exceeds my speed."

"Seems like we are always at a disadvantage." Collingwood's right hand went through his hair.

"An astute observation, coming from you." She chuckled. It wasn't a laughing matter, but he had no energy left to scold her.

"Next time I'll be able to take the boy down and then get his seals." Now that he knew how to penetrate the protective barrier it would be easy to take him out. He wiped the blood covered needles with a kitchen towel. Not exactly elegant, but it would do.

"What about his cute little friend?"

"Hm?"

"The girl in the unusual outfit. Reaches up to your chest maybe. Gullible appearance." She traced the girl's outline in the air with a light construct.

"Ah, her." He had not much to say to that.

"I expected more of a reaction, considering how she made you hesitate." Caster's eyes were sharper than arrows whenever she wanted them to.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." He flatly denied her and looked at the cleaned needles.

"Do not tell me you were charmed at first sight?" She raised a brow.

"Don't be stupid." He sighed again.

"You owe her thanks anyway. Had she not stopped her eagle-eyed friend, you'd be headless now." She casually remarked on his barely avoided death as she dissolved the light construct.

"…you would have done something before that happened." He replied uncertain. "Right?" He added to be absolutely sure.

"Who knows~?"

He threw the bloody towel after her, which she gracefully dodged, and then moved into the kitchen to get something to drink. His throat was dry. Without much trouble he picked out a milk carton from the almost empty fridge. Due to their order not to enter the apartment, the staff had not refilled anything of course. It definitely wasn't perfect, but he preferred not relying on 'Madame Leger's credit card too much.

"If I may be so bold to make a suggestion." Caster's voice echoed inside the spacious kitchen and the next moment the milk was gone from his hands and inside her much more petite ones. "Tomorrow we should focus entirely on reconnaissance. No surprise fights to the death." She winked and then finished off the entire milk in one long gulp. Afterwards she shook it a bit to make sure it was empty and then threw it through a gate straight into the trash bin.

"Okay." He didn't disagree with her plan. It was not like he tried to get into deadly situations whenever he could though. Also he really wanted that milk.

She licked her lips.

"We have a debt to repay and nobody likes a debtor who is overdue." Her dramatic words were moving for sure.

"You missed a spot." He pointed at his own cheek to tell her where she was still covered in milk.

It was mildly flushed when she wiped it off with her sleeve.

* * *

Around the Town Hall where the confrontation had taken place things had quieted down.

A hunched over figure was sitting on a rooftop with a good view of the entrance and everything that could transpire here. The only thing pulling attention to the darkness clad man was the glowing spot of his cigarette.

He slowly exhaled a cloud of smoke and looked down with his uncovered left eye. The other half of his face was completely covered by dark blue hair.

Down there another shadowy figure left the community hall. The man was rather tall and had the aura of a hound. Goal oriented and fierce. His sharp senses almost alerted him of the smoker's presence, but in the end he just moved into the dark alley and disappeared.

That guy was the second person to leave this night. But he never entered. Had he managed to slip past his superior senses?

The first one was the coward, Collingwood. He had been intercepted by a weak looking nobody and another Servant. He wasn't interested in weaklings or Servants.

Their fight was meaningless to him. It was absolutely against his principles to interfere with a hunt though. Collingwood was hunting a pathetic prey, but he was hunting nonetheless. Even a coward like him was following his natural instinct. He could respect that.

The Servants had left a trail of destruction as their fight spun the expanses of the city, but he had barely given them another look.

That guy who just left…

He looked strong. He could sneak past his senses. He was strong, right? He was hiding some pretty interesting weapons. _He must have been strong!_

The cigarette was crushed in the man's hand. He didn't even flinch when the burning tip was pressed to ashes inside his palm.

Leroy Derickson smiled with his bared teeth.

He had found new prey.


	27. Maiden of Victory II

**Did someone say _escalation_?  
**

* * *

 **Maiden of Victory II**

* * *

"…up." A loud noise was splitting the drowsiness. The comfortable darkness was soon shaken out of her. "Wake up already Yuki-chan!"

"...auntie?" Koyuki slowly opened her eyes and rubbed them with her right hand. She was tugged into her warm futon that smelled of sunlight. Through the wooden window panels a streak of golden light slipped into her small room. Standing above her and shaking her by the shoulders was none other than her aunt. She was dressed casually as usual, but something about the way she called out to her seemed urgent.

"Never took ya for a late sleeper sweetie." She smiled widely and winked.

"May I ask what time it is?" Polite as usual, Koyuki sat up and inquired softly. She barely managed to suppress a big yawn.

"It's around noon I reckon. Ya missed Yuna's experimental breakfast. True shame that." Her expression told a different story, but Koyuki showed a real dejection upon hearing that, so she patted her head motherly. "No worries, the tuna's prolly gotten away and returned ta its family!"

"?" The clueless smile the young girl gave her was making it just more amusing.

"Ya really stayed up late. Couldn't get used ta this place yet?" She asked while handing her a comb.

Koyuki didn't reply, remembering the last night was not very pleasant. In this very room she had bandaged up Sano-senpai after all. She looked into the wardrobe mirror and started combing her hair. As soon as she undid the two short braids and the clips, her hair turned into a wild mess as if a tiny localized tornado had raged on top of her head. It was rather surprising considering her hair only reached to her shoulder at most.

"I'd have let ya nap some more, but there's totally a reason why I can't." The ever vigilant aunt helped Koyuki dress up fast as her pajamas had slipped off while she drowsily did her hair.

"Is that… so?" She mumbled while blinking a few times. From the time back in Kyoto she was used to very strict sleeping schedules that never changed. Even slightly going against those for a few days had really thrown her off balance. Her aunt was very lenient compared to the head priestess.

"Yup. Y'see, there are a couple of lovely girls waitin' to barge in and kidnap ya." She snickered when she saw Koyuki's shocked expression.

Unbeknownst to the ponytailed priestess, Koyuki immediately contacted Archer telepathically. He replied instantly, which proved that he was always watching over her.

" _There is no danger."_ Giving his all-clear immediately managed to relax Koyuki. Archer-dono was always perceptive and ready for battle. If he said that there was nothing to worry about she believed it.

Although her heart rate decreased, the burst of adrenaline had served to wake her up completely. Which made her realize that she had been dressing up (thanks to her aunt as well) without noticing.

"I wonder who it could be?" Koyuki adjusted her hakama with trained movements and applied the braids without even looking into the mirror.

"They introduced themselves as yer friends."

It was unexpected, but Koyuki was now getting really curious. She followed her aunt outside the room and into the main hall. From there they moved through the front entrance and past the donation box and bells. As soon as she stepped outside in her sandals she noticed two familiar faces.

"Satsuki-san! Maki-san!" Her eyes widened in joy. Her classmates were standing in the yard and inspecting the fox figure intently. The moment they heard Koyuki's voice the statue became meaningless though.

"YukiYuki!" Maki's short twintails shook violently and she sprinted forward and tackled Koyuki. Her embrace was similar to a bear hug, except Maki was actually even smaller than Koyuki, so she was more like a clingy monkey. "You really do live at the temple! A super cute amazing miko!"

"M-Maki-san you are very strong-"

"No, you are waaay cooler!"

"I did not mean-"

"She wasn't complimenting you Maki." Satsuki intervened like a disgruntled parent and pulled Maki off the shrine maiden. Maki obviously resisted, but the iron grip around her neck was eventually crushing any resistance. "Sorry about that. She might be the clingiest person you'll ever meet, but she isn't actually a creepy stalker, I swear." For some reason she apologized in Maki's stead.

"Stalker?" Koyuki tilted her head. That word was unfamiliar.

"The innocence… too much for my depraved eyes." Satsuki raised her hand as if shielding herself from blinding light. Of course she was still restraining Maki with the other arm.

"We really wanted to visit you, because SakiSaki left us out yesterday!" Maki explained cheerfully.

"Sakiko-sama…" Koyuki remembered yesterday's meeting fondly, even if the rest of the day was rather chaotic.

"Yeah, it must have been hard dealing with her on your own." Satsuki raised her free hand in a sort of apologetic prayer. She really seemed to take responsibility for her friends a lot.

"Not at all." Koyuki shook her head earnestly.

"Don'tcha think ya'll forgot someone?" Suddenly Yukimura-san called out to make herself noticed.

"Ah, Yuki-chan's aunt, right?" Satsuki pulled Maki along and bowed her head. "Thank you for getting her for us."

"No problem. Thanks for takin' care of my niece. She's really new to alotta things." She laughed and jovially slapped both girls on the shoulders. It shook them quite a bit, which made Satsuki lose her grip on the ball of energy.

"You are really pretty Onee-san, but YukiYuki is waaay cuter!" Maki loudly declared with a raised hand.

"Maki!"

"That's 'bout right." Yukimura-san agreed seriously and crossed her arms. "I bet the boys are already gawking at her in school. You'll tell me if they do anythin' suspicious, okay?"

"Yes ma'am!" Satsuki and Maki both straightened their backs and agreed right away after seeing the deadly glimmer in the priestess's eyes.

"What are you discussing auntie?" Koyuki joined their little circle curiously.

"W-we talked about how nice it is to live at a shrine!" Satsuki steered the topic into safer waters.

"Agreed. The spiritual energy is very pure around here." The young shrine maiden nodded happily.

"I-is that right?" Satsuki gave her a wry smile.

"Totally! Can't you even feel it a little, Ki-chan?" Maki smiled smugly with a hand in front of her mouth.

"And you can?" Satsuki popped a vein at her temple and smiled, fully annoyed.

"Of cooourse! It's super pure here. It feels like I'm bathing in a hot spring!" She claimed loudly.

"What has that to do with spiritual energy…?" She glanced to Koyuki for help.

"I never went to a hot spring before. The books said it is a 'steamy paradise of youth and wonder'." Koyuki looked ahead lost in daydreams. She was clearly a lost cause.

Satsuki looked at Yukimura-san to her left.

"Uhm, yup, it's more like a Jacuzzi for myself tho." She scratched her cheek and avoided looking at them.

"I give up." She accepted defeat.

"Anyway, ya girls enjoy yerself. I've gotta take care of shrine business. It's a holiday, so people are bound to come by!" She was very good at fooling herself at least. If Yuna hadn't left already she might have made a snarky comment.

"Yay! Can I see your room YukiYuki?!" Maki was a perpetuum mobile of enthusiasm.

"Only if you don't mind." Satsuki added swiftly.

"Yes, please come inside. I shall prepare some delicious tea." Koyuki was actually extremely happy to welcome them inside. She had been a bit saddened when Sano-senpai had told her that there would be no school on holidays, but now it was clear that she could still spent time with her classmates.

In her happiness she managed to blend out the heavy feelings that were directed at the night ahead.

* * *

A few kilometers away in a much simpler apartment, a certain high-school boy was also enjoying some tea. Or rather he enjoyed the company of the person who had poured it for him.

"Thanks for the meal." He was feeling as if on cloud nine today. Not even his sore body could ruin this mood.

"You ate seconds, which is enough praise for me." Rider-san really did seem pleased. If she would make that expression more often he would even eat four plates!

This was a situation that he could only have imagined in light novels or movies. An average loser like him getting served food by a beautiful foreign lady. Almost dying every other night was worth it after all.

Rider-san put the dishes away in the kitchen and then returned to sit opposite to him. She had not touched her cup of tea at all. She really hated the stuff, huh? Shige wondered if he should buy her some soft-drink or juice, but then felt embarrassed at how childish that was. Rider-san was a mature woman! She would probably prefer something with alcohol… But he could not buy any. He was a minor and she had no legal ID.

As he was sipping his tea and contemplating silly things like that, the atmosphere changed. With a single change in posture the blonde cook turned back into a warrior woman.

"Shige, there is something we need to discuss."

He really didn't like that phrase. Every time it came up he was expecting another headache and scary revelations. This time was no different. Her blue eyes pierced him, so he averted his face.

"Y-yes?"

"It is about your pendant, the artifact." Now he realized that she was actually staring at the thing around his neck rather than his face. He really was too self-conscious.

"Grandpa's pendant, huh?" He nodded. Made sense. It was really important to both of them. "It's pretty amazing. I can even fight with this!" Even now he could still feel the rush from the battle with the enemy magus. That moment he could actually fight back and corner someone so scary… It still hadn't set in completely.

"Listen to me for a bit." Rider-san closed her eyes and gave him a stoic expression. "That pendant is dangerous."

"What?" He sat his cup down in surprise.

"I would prefer if you did not rely on it from this point onward." She gave it to him straight.

"H-huh? What do you mean dangerous…? It protected me and…" He was lost for words. Wasn't she being a bit rash?

"That artifact was not supposed to awaken for a mortal. The reason it was activated was the contract we created. While its power is vast… it has side-effects."

"Like… what?"

"I cannot say yet, but even so…" Rider-san looked a bit melancholic as she stretched out her hand. "I will not risk your life on this, so please hand it to me." She was not ordering him, but it didn't feel like she would let him refuse.

"T-this has to be a joke. I feel fine! Even _better_ than fine!" He raised his hands defensively. "You know, this is something my grandpa gave to my mother and me. It even let me call you when I needed your help, so it's important to me." He was sweating now.

"Shige." She looked at him for a long time. "Your grandfather means a lot to you."

"Of course he did!" Shigechiyo gave her a forced smile.

"He passed on?" She asked with an unmoved expression.

"…yes he did." Shige felt a tiny bit of anger at her indifferent reaction. She never met him, true, but this was pretty cold. He was still very sensitive about the subject. It had only been half a year…

"I am certain that he was a great man that deserved your admiration." She finally gave him some sympathetic words. "Yet the matter of the pendant is unrelated. It may prove too much for a mere human. I cannot allow it to consume you."

"You say it as if you _weren't_ human." He replied while clutching the pendant in his right hand.

"…" Rider looked at him with an unknown emotion. He had never seen her look that way.

It pained his heart somehow… so he finally pushed his hand forward and stretched it towards her. The pendant dangled between them. If she said it was for his own good he would trust her. That was what he had decided the moment he joined this war for her sake.

"I-if you want to keep it close, that's probably a good idea. I mean, this keeps you in our world, so if I messed up again you'd maybe disappear. T-that would be my fault." He swallowed his disappointment and just handed it to her. So much for his protective charm.

She took it into her strong hands and stared at the wooden marble. It was faintly moving in place, unbound by any shackles. The small thorn from the night before had disappeared already. The low humming of another world was permeating space and time the longer she held it in her grasp.

Shige watched her with concern. The expression from before had still not faded completely. What else could he do?

"I know I'm useless right now… s-so could you maybe _train_ me Rider-san?!" He blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

She looked up in surprise. His shaking lips, cracking voice and twitching legs were probably making his request seem less determined than he hoped.

"You already have courage." She smiled. "If we add the strength of a warrior to it you will no doubt become worthy."

"Worthy of what anyway?" She always kept going on about it. He was pretty curious now.

"Of holding this in your hand for instance." And with that she returned the pendant to him.

"Wha-?" He blinked in shock as she returned it to his hands.

"This artifact binds us. I vow upon it that you shall not come to harm. Your life is under the protection of the souls of the fallen." She rose from the table. "I still wish that you do not use it to fight, but please keep it with you."

"Do you really believe that I can protect it… that I won't mess up again?"

"You perceive yourself as a fool, but to me that foolish earnest nature is what makes you worthy. No divine providence or just cause, only a simple wish to help those around you." Her praise was genuine. "You could have kept it for yourself out of fear or greed, but you would rather hand it over, for _my_ sake. It is me that should question whether I am worth such kindness." She chuckled quietly.

He didn't know she could act so meek. It made his heart stir, but the desire to hold her alabaster hand was getting even stronger. Was this feeling really as impure as it seemed? He wanted to support Rider-san and that was the only thing echoing in his mind. If there was a darker, baser reason he would simply have to _crush_ it completely until only the purest intention was left as a supreme diamond.

In that moment he felt a low vibration in his pocket. He subtly slid the Smartphone out and looked at the screen. Another text message from his mother. With twisted brows he pushed it back into the pocket.

"Is there something amiss?"

"Nope… I'm fine." Shige pushed the pendant into his breast pocket and faced her again. "What's our plan for tonight?"

"Until Koyuki can come up with a solution it will be nigh impossible to deal with that cowardly Servant." Rider-san finally brought the tea to her mouth. It was hard to tell if she frowned due to the taste or because of mentioning that possessing freak. " _She_ will certainly not show her face for a while…" Something else seemed to bother her as well, but she didn't speak about it.

"Then it's back to patrolling the city?"

"There are still other enemies we have to take down."

"We told Yukimura-san to meet up at 10 p.m., so we still have some time." He leaned back below the table and placed his head on the pillow. Lazing away holidays was the best.

"Then let us grasp the opportunity to begin your training." Rider-san's words were cutting through the tranquil atmosphere.

"R-right now?" He had a bad feeling about this. Working out right after a meal was pretty bad in his book.

"The sooner, the better. Any moment wasted could make the difference between victory and defeat." She stretched out one hand for him to grab.

"…what do you have in mind?" With some hesitation he grabbed her hand and was pulled up like he was made of air.

"Endurance training. First I want to see how long you can run." She smiled.

After running for his life yesterday he certainly understood the point. Even so, his legs were still sore. Not that she would accept that as an excuse.

"Your arms seem to be the most developed part of your physique." Suddenly she grabbed his biceps and felt it up!

Shige's face burned up faster than a dry wheat field that was attacked by a flamethrower.

"I-I-I played a lot of baseball! And my part-time jobs involved lifting heavy stuff, s-so-" The touching stopped, but only after an excruciatingly long moment. His heart was pounding way too much.

"You could focus on fighting with a heavy weapon to swing. But I would have you balance yourself more and train your legs as well. With your build you have many options."

In a way she would probably make a better P.E. coach than the unenthusiastic bald guy that was currently teaching them. He was only two years from retirement, so he had already given up on achieving anything. The students in return also didn't care about doing well. In comparison he felt really motivated to work out with Rider-san!

Well maybe there were other reasons than just drive and passion…

"Put on some fitting attire and let us move out." Rider-san was wearing her usual leather garments that seemed to be so easy to move in.

Shige had nothing except his gym uniform. A simple white shirt and black shorts. His old baseball shoes looked worn, kept together by a few strings, but at least they were suited for outdoor action unlike his gym shoes.

"I will run with you, so show me your best." Her encouraging words were more of a curse in his ears. Now he could never back out and live with himself. He just hoped that she wouldn't notice his occasional glances her way while they were running.

Not much later it would become clear that he had no time or energy to spare on watching the rhythmic movements of her chest, as he barely managed to keep up with her _heels_.

* * *

Collingwood took a good long look at the parts in his hand. The weak light of sundown permeating through the blinds of the panorama windows was reflected on the metallic surfaces. In one hand he held copper and in the other seashells.

"You frown even more than usual, Master." Caster said from atop a shelf. How or why she had gotten up there, he could not tell. Maybe it was an excuse to look down on him.

"Whose fault is that?" He mumbled and put the pieces back down on the table.

"Are you trying yourself at modern art? The Grail has shown me some amusing images in that context." She grinned slyly.

Sometimes he really wondered what the Grail's priority on 'necessary' information was supposed to be. At this point he could at least tell that she was just teasing him. She absolutely knew what he was actually doing.

"I'm making new catalysts." He replied anyway. Otherwise she would have made more outrageous guesses each time until he caved in.

"Ah. Like the ones from before." She tilted her head in disappointment at his straight reply. "They were far from artistic."

"They are practical." He put the seashells into a spiral pattern. "I wouldn't have to waste my time making these if a certain someone hadn't destroyed them all. I was practically defenseless yesterday."

"Hmhm, but perhaps that would be for the best? It might improve your sense for danger a bit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" He raised a brow as he kept adding things to the material.

"Nothing at all. Just remember your promise~" She smiled flatly when he didn't seem to recall. "Reconnaissance, Master. No fighting."

"I got it already." He sighed. She sure was adamant about it.

 _Crack._

"Ah." His eyes dulled.

"Rather brittle, are they not?" Caster commented sympathetically. The shells were a crumbled mess in her Master's fingers.

"Hey, can't you craft tools and items?" He twisted his head up and glared at her.

"Why yes. That is one of my Class abilities." She said with a neutral look.

"Then you can make up for the ones you broke by making new ones." He hand motioned her to come down.

"Is that how you ask for a favor?" She shook her head sarcastically and appeared right next to him in the blink of an eye. "I have not the first idea about your magecraft or catalysts. How irresponsible to force such work on me." Yet she grabbed the broken seashells and copper with tender hands and adjusted them.

"It takes a few days to make these on my own. I wouldn't be asking you if we had more time. If I tell you the process we can maybe halve the process-"

"Done." She handed him the completed catalysts.

"…" He stared at the seamlessly formed spirals. Then he looked into her purple eyes. "How?"

"Are you in need of a hearing aid as well? I may build one for you while I am already at it." She chuckled at his unamused reaction. "As I mentioned, I have not the first clue about such things. This is the result of my Class, rather than my own talents."

"You made this without knowing how?" He was stupefied.

"Indeed. An easy task for one such as I." She had the gall to be proud of it too.

"Unbelievable." He grabbed the catalysts and created the necessary link spells. If he overlooked the personal design, he could just treat this as a replacement of his own work. Just from a single look she could imitate them so perfectly…

"What makes these different from your usual tricks?" She asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Don't call my spells tricks… These are sacrifices. They will take a deadly blow in my stead."

"Certainly, but there is something different about them." She was sharp.

"True. When I use my link spells to transfer a concept to me it will only work to the limit of the original." He explained as he hung the catalysts on hooks in the wall. "If I link to a rock, the force needed to break a rock is all it can block. These on the other hand… they work no matter how heavy the force applied is. They will save my life no matter what."

"I can see why you were acting so carefree with your life on the line now."

"The downside is that they only transfer the deadly blow, not the damage caused otherwise. If I get stabbed in the heart, the wound up to the outer wall of my heart will remain." He instinctively held his chest. There was no easy way to test out the limits of such magecraft, so the scar was still there.

"You do not value your body much, hm?" She glanced at his clutched chest and then shrugged as she spun in place and returned to the TV she had been watching before.

"My body doesn't matter as long as I survive…" He replied a few moments too late.

With two catalysts prepared he would be able to breathe a little easier again. Since the start of the war he had made precious little progress. Caster wanted to observe for now, but they didn't have that much leisure time.

Maybe he was getting impatient. If he could get his hands on the Grail it would all be over in an instant, so his body was shaking with the urge to move. His hesitation yesterday was making him angry. That kid and the girl had no place in this war, but that wasn't his problem. Whatever they wished for could not be important enough to trump his desire.

"I must win." He held the fist against his chest and calmed his breathing. With trained movements he put an unlit cigarette in his mouth and bit the filter. His heart rate slowed down in response.

"Master, whatever is a ' _Veggie Twister 3001_ '? It appears quite powerful!" Caster's voice rang from the living room.

That girl on the other hand was so far beyond stress that she might as well have been made of cotton candy. He smiled wryly.

* * *

It was getting dark on Matsumae's horizon.

"Brrr. How's it so cold already?" Satsuki rubbed her arms with both hands and looked down the many steps that led down to the foot of the hill and thus the bus stop.

"I'm not freezing at all! Just run down the stairs and you will be alllll good~!" Maki declared cheerfully and slapped Satsuki on the back which made her stumble forward dangerously close to the steps.

"Hey!" Satsuki glared over her shoulder. They had been staying at the temple for a while now, but it was time to leave.

"Shall I escort you to the station?" Koyuki asked like the diligent host she turned out to be. The responsibilities of a shrine maiden were endless.

"That's alright. It's right over there." Satsuki waved her hand and declined politely.

"Next time you need to come have a sleepover at my place!" Maki grabbed Koyuki's hands and grinned widely. "We are gonna eat sooo much pizza and candy and play cards until we collapse!"

Koyuki's face lit up in response. She had heard of sleepovers before! The closest of friends would share their bedstead in a ritual to deepen their bonds with each other. She also really loved candy.

"What's pizza?" She asked curiously.

"You never had pizza?!" Maki's eyes turned wide in shock. Koyuki shook her head cutely. "Gaaah!" Maki hugged her and made unintelligible sounds.

"Pizza is sort of like okonomiyaki." Satsuki explained with a sigh towards Maki's antics. "You really lived a sheltered live, eh?"

"Pizza is really yummy! My favorite is totally Hawaiian!" Maki told them without being prompted.

"Hawa-i-ian?"

"It's pizza with pineapple toppings." Satsuki started to feel like a caretaker at a kindergarten.

"I do not particularly enjoy pineapple." Koyuki said with some regret.

"Ehh?! Just try it with pizza! It's super amazing." The energetic girl insisted.

"Everyone's got their own preferences. Anyway, we need to go now Maki. The bus arrives in a few minutes." She was about to grab her slow friend when her phone started vibrating. "Yes, Satsuki here. Dad? I'm still at the shrine- Huh? Okay." She put the phone down (Koyuki watched it with sparkling eyes) and then raised her hand in apology. "My dad drove over to get me. We are having dinner at a family restaurant today it seems."

"I'm so jealous." Maki pouted.

"Your dad is an _actual_ chef, so you eat this good stuff every day." Satsuki pinched her nose and then waved them goodbye. "Don't get lost on your way home again! See ya!" She grinned at Maki's puffed up cheeks response.

"Bleeh! I'm not going home anyway!" She stretched out her tongue after Satsuki.

"Where do you go to next Maki-san?" Koyuki was surprised to hear she wasn't returning home.

"Ehehe, I'm going to surprise SakiSaki!" She put two hands on her hips and laughed.

"Sakiko-sama?"

"Yes! She always hangs out somewhere in the evening. She doesn't wanna hang with her parents, so she is usually alone. And then I will come in and surprise her! I bet she will be totally grateful." Her excitement was contagious.

"That is very kind of you Maki-san." Koyuki clapped in support of this idea.

"Right, right?! SakiSaki is always bottling her issues up, so you just want to make her smile. When someone smiles next to you, you also want to smile too. That's my secret power. I always smile!" She put her fingers to the corners of her mouth and pulled them up forcefully to show how far she could go.

Koyuki giggled. It really was a fearsome power.

"I'm off then~! See ya at school YukiYuki!" She dashed off like the wind.

"Good night. May we meet again healthy and-" She could not finish her polite goodbyes as Maki was already zooming down the steps. She might even have caught up with Satsuki at that pace.

 _Fshhhh_

The night wind was indeed starting to get a little fresh. Koyuki tightened the belt on her hakama.

"Did you enjoy yourself, Koyuki-sama?" Archer walked over to her. He had been staying inside the temple. Thanks to his cover identity as a bodyguard he could walk around freely.

"Very much." She nodded happily.

"Then let us use this positive energy to advance our campaign." He stroked his goatee with a subtle smile.

"What time is it?" Koyuki had completely forgotten about their meeting with Sano-senpai!

"Around 9 p.m. There is still plenty of time to prepare." Archer calmed her worries and handed her a bundle of papers. Her seals that she had forgotten inside her room.

"I need to tell auntie that we are heading out first." She took the seals and pushed them into her inner pockets.

"I already informed her that we continue the investigation of your brother's disappearance tonight." Archer had been thinking ahead.

"Thank you."

The reason that Yukimura-san allowed her precious niece to walk around so late despite school the next day was simple… she was sympathetic. They had told her that they went out so late to investigate Toranosuke's whereabouts. It was only a partial lie, but even that put an immense amount of guilt on Koyuki's shoulders. They had also agreed to be back by midnight, but they had broken that rule several times as well. Maybe she had noticed and was just closing her eyes to it.

They left the temple for the dark steps and made their way to the rendezvous point. The lights shining through the temple's windows were like a safe beacon that they left behind.

* * *

At the old monument of a dog.

Shige was sitting on the edge of the sidewalk with fallen in eyes. His entire body was aching! But most of all his legs. They felt like they had been run over by a car or something. Thankfully he had time to take a shower and change, but that 'training' had left deep marks in his very soul. Rider-san was a demon coach.

Speaking of the devil.

"They are here." Rider-san did not betray a single sign of exhaustion even after the death march they had completed a short while ago. He had been eating her dust for most of the endurance test. The way she stood fit and ready for action on the street corner sure was enviable.

Just as she said it, Archer soon materialized on top of a wall and Koyuki moved along the crosswalk. They seemed pretty relaxed. How enviable.

"Good evening Sano-senpai, Rider-dono!" Koyuki was the essence of good cheer. _How enviable._

"Likewise." Shige rubbed his sore legs and forced himself up. An unknown shock went through his muscles and made him cringe. Not even when he was still doing club activities did he ever feel this close to death from training!

"Are you alright?" The shrine maiden tilted her head.

"Shige has been working out. It is nothing." Rider-san was merciless as expected.

"How commendable." Archer commented from the top.

"Yeah…" He had nothing to say to their disregard of his horrible pain.

"We will stick together tonight, so we won't repeat what happened yesterday." Rider suggested.

"Indeed. The advantages of our alliance should be explored to their fullest." Archer agreed.

If they stuck together they were a formidable force. In the worst case scenario they could still split up as well. The patrol of the city began anew.

City life was something Shige was used to, but he had never been going out at night as much as he had the last few days. He glanced at Koyuki who always had an expression of wonder wherever they went. The first time she had seen neon signs she had actually _gasped_.

"Uhm… Yukimura-san?" He felt strangely stressed starting a conversation with her on his own.

"Sano-senpai?"

"It's… about…" He was stumped. All he wanted to do was make small talk to break the silence, but he blanked out. There was nothing to talk about. It would have been pretty lame if he just suddenly started talking about school or something, right? "Y-yeah! What happened to that detective guy's… body?"

"Oh." Koyuki's precious smile was turned upside down. It almost made him want to punch himself. "Archer-dono took him to the overseer." She looked to her feet and clutched her hands.

The rest was obvious. Somehow the people who supervised this war had taken care of the rest. Such total manipulation of the authorities and the victim's family were scary. If something happened to him, would his parents just receive a message that he had been found dead in some alley…?

"At least he will get a proper funeral and all. We did the best we could!" He exclaimed loudly.

Rider-san's shoulder twitched slightly. She was walking ahead of them, but he was certain her ears were good enough to take in their entire exchange.

"I prayed for Sada-san several times. I will not forget his name." She vowed sincerely.

Shige had already forgotten the poor guy's name. Seeing their difference in empathy made him feel quite inferior. He only hoped that they did not need to add any more names to that list.

Rider-san stopped her feet.

Shige nervously wondered if she was going to join the conversation when he noticed that she had summoned her armor and lance. Archer was standing on top of the roof close-by like a hawk.

"W-what is it?"

"There is a presence." Koyuki said and grabbed her seals.

"He is not attempting to hide." Rider glared into the darkness of the street. There was a construction site for a house right next to it. Although it was completely sealed off with tape, Rider simply hopped over it and moved forward. Shige immediately ducked under the tape and followed behind.

"I see you have made friends, woman." There he sat, almost casually, on top of a resting steel beam. His wild hair was waving in the winds that rushed through the half constructed building. The dark eye-patch over his right eye stood out on his pale skin. The moonlight streamed through some holes in the barely finished ceiling and covered him from behind, enlarging his shadow. The wooden spear was lightly leaned over his shoulder.

"Lancer." Rider said emotionlessly.

"I had been looking for you." He said with a dark smile. "Ever since our first exchange of blows, my body has been aching for a rematch."

"You have been waiting long enough for me to strike you down. There won't be any further delay." She said stoically.

"Haha. Your disdain from that night has only grown, but you appear less fierce than back then. Have you been humbled by that witch?" His one healthy eye watched her face contort in anger. "I will take that as admittance."

"Haah haah, who is it Sano-… senpai?" Koyuki had ran after them and climbed over the tape barrier. She was a little out of breath.

"Rider-san fought him before. His class is Lancer and he is pretty strong. That's all I know." He felt a cold sweat drop run down his temple. He still remembered their last exchange vividly. Those inhuman movements, those colossal clashes.

"Hmph." Lancer moved up and glared quite a distance away towards something. "What happened to your precious chivalry, I wonder? Aiming your bow at me while I speak to another opponent." Lancer was addressing Archer, whose bow was already drawn.

"I prefer to keep all my options close at hand." Archer's voice actually reached all the way to the construction site. He didn't betray any particular emotion.

"He is mine." Rider shouted. Her lance was pointed ahead and she glared at the dark knight with contempt. Archer lowered his weapon in response, but Shige could not believe it. Why would she throw away their numerical advantage?! Wasn't this what they had talked about just before coming here? The point of the alliance was to work together!

"I would have taken on both of you at once if I had to." Lancer's lips were curled up in a dangerous smile. His unending confidence in the face of two Servants was unexpected. "Yet I had secretly hoped it would turn out this way. A duel to the death is the most definitive way to end this."

"Slaying vile men like you is _my_ duty." Rider's eyes flared up in bright silver for just a moment. That look could have intimidated a wild lion.

"Grand boasts, coming from the woman that was spared my blade only due to luck." He looked directly at Shige, which made him take a step back instinctively. "The boy from that night was your Master after all. Lehnsherr was much too cautious." The irony of the situation made him smirk derisively.

"Where is your Master? Hiding like a coward once again?" Rider mocked him.

"My Lehnsherr has his own skirmishes to deal with." Lancer replied mysteriously and then put his spear into position. "Enough talk, your head is mine!" His dark armor was materializing across his body and the next moment he was already striking Rider's side.

She reacted with impeccable timing and deflected his spear. This was the second time they fought, so both of them already had a good feel for each other's range and strength. Their blows were fast and fierce. Each clash of the lance and spear created sparks and light shockwaves.

"Sano-senpai." Koyuki tugged his sleeve, which made him finally snap out of his stupor.

"W-what?"

"I want to search for the Master." She explained.

"Huh? W-why?" He couldn't follow her line of thought.

"if he is hiding he might surprise attack us." She raised one finger. "And… I do not want Rider-dono to carry the burden alone."

She was really going to fight another Master. Shige could only watch her from a distance and regret. After all he had no powers. No trump card. He had sworn not to use the pendant to fight either. He was forced to watch two people close to him fight to the death again.

"Sora!" Koyuki summoned her wind spirit in shape of a paper bird. It immediately flew high into the sky to search for something unusual. The young girl closed her eyes in concentration to feel for any responses.

Shige had to tear his eyes away from her as the loud boom from a crash demanded their attention. An uncompleted wall was toppled over from Rider's kick and the rubble flew across the construction site. Lancer had easily dodged and then cut off the weight of the tall crane. It crushed down on Rider, who pulled out her shield to block it. The cement blocks crumbled over her barrier and rolled off to both sides uselessly.

In the next moment a spear tip broke through the rock dust. Rider just about managed to dodge it, but Lancer's following shoulder tackle rammed her into the metal crane, which now began to shake dangerously. The destroyed weight was already putting it off balance. In mere moment it would topple into the building!

"Haah!" Rider swung her shield to deflect the spear and then followed with three fast arced slashes. Lancer dodged each, but then was hit against the black helmet with the butt of the lance pole.

Another slash bounced off the dark knight's always hefted sword, which surprised Rider for a moment. The only moment he needed to stab her in the chest.

The runes that covered the armor were now glowing in a bright green. All but three of them (that had been extinguished) were now active.

"This-" Lancer's spear had stopped short of the glowing rune. He was not stupid enough to carelessly stab into an unknown defense. But Rider took that choice from him. She moved straight into his spear!

Lancer's eye widened as he suddenly felt a huge shockwave send him flying into another wall. The rune that had been stabbed was now extinguished. He pushed out of the rubble, but he was already hit by the lance, which cut deep into his shoulder armor. With a desperate upwards slash he tried to cut her face, but she blocked it with a glove. Another rune-

BOOM!

Lancer was sent flying again the moment his spear cut the rune. After crashing through a cement mixer he coughed up some dust and held his slightly bleeding shoulder.

"You were holding back during our first meeting." He said with a calculating frown.

"…" Rider did not reply and advanced stoically.

"Is this your trump card I wonder?" Lancer regained his balance and raised his spear to his side. "It isn't powerful enough to be a Noble Phantasm." The moment she reached him he suddenly cut apart the ceiling to the next floor and showered her in rubble. No shockwaves were erupting from her as she shielded herself. "Not automatically triggered." He surmised and sent a flurry of stabs into the dust.

It was a foolish attack. After all he already knew that on impact with her armor he would receive a counter-force. But surprisingly no repelling force came. Instead his flurry was deflected by the shield and lance.

"Sora found something." Koyuki called out to Shige who was completely absorbed in the battle in front of him.

"What is it?"

"Someone is fighting a few blocks over. She could not make out more than that."

"Is it that knight's Master?!"

Koyuki gulped. She seemed unsure.

"I do not think… that they are human." She replied with a pale face. Whatever had been transmitted to her must have been horrifying.

"I-if they are fighting then we should just wait it out!" He held her shoulder tightly. Shige had to convince her. With force if necessary.

Just a few meters away Rider was running across the toppled crane as it crashed into the building. Lancer was right above her on the second floor and dodged her slashes. They were both agile, but her armor was superior. Every hit he landed was thrown back at him a hundred times worse.

She cleanly cut through a steel beam he had stood on. His downwards kick hit he shield arm and pushed it down.

"Grahhh!" He rammed his head against hers. No rune explosion! But as they collided and pressed their helmets against each other they started to wrestle. "I am starting to see what you truly are." Lancer growled between clenched teeth.

"It won't do you any good." Rider pressed back with murderous eyes.

"These Norse runes on your armor and shield and that peculiar style… I know your kind, _**Valkyrie**_!" Lancer shouted triumphantly and then slammed her through the exploding floor. His strength was far superior to hers, so he won out their wrestling.

Rider was headed straight for the open basement, but the wooden spear already hit her stomach. Lancer was intent on ramming her right through!

Another shockwave separated them, but Lancer was above her, so it just sent him back to the next floor.

She crashed into the ground below and he stabbed his spear into the floor above to keep standing.

"I had this suspicion ever since I saw your face… you resemble _her_." He spat out some blood and looked down on the crater in which Rider slowly got up. His one eye looked right through her and into a distant time that only he could see.

'A Valkyrie?' Shige had heard him say it, but why did it sound so familiar? He had heard that word before. Was it in a video-game? A movie? Valkyries were… some mystical beings? He watched Rider-san rise and stared at her distantly as well. Weren't Valkyries like angels? That was surely fitting…

For the woman who rose to battle as many times as she needed, sometimes even beyond death. A proud warrior that decided who was worthy to ascend to the halls of Valhalla. Strong and beautiful, but just. Rider was the embodiment of those ideals.

"Your eyes judge all men." Lancer said with venom in his voice. "Such arrogance."

"I can see the nature of a man, true." Rider stood there in the crater, with her dirt covered armor and looked up inside the moonlight that was reflected from her golden hair. "But it does not take Mystic Eyes to see how twisted you are."

"Hahaha!" Lancer laughed in response. "I will accept that judgment. Alas we are both hounds of war, commanded by those above us. You are the gods' lapdog and I am the servant of foolish kings. All we can do is fight for what little honor we have left."

"You are wrong…" Rider clutched her lance.

"Ho?" Lancer watched her with interest.

"I do not serve the gods… not anymore!" She shouted into the night. The next moment they clashed again.

Fiercer, more determined, faster, they slashed and stabbed and hit each other's bodies with the intense desire to tear them open and spill red blood across the battlefield. Each hit Lancer received put a dent or cut into his black armor, each blow he returned bounced off Rider, but with every counter the green runes were extinguished as well, one by one. What would happen if the last of them died out?

They ran across the ground floor and exchanged blows between crumbling walls. The ceiling was already in pieces around them and the building that had once been half finished was now smashed to bits. Nothing survived a battle between Servants for long.

Rider rushed forward!

Lancer twisted his spear, the metal tip scratched across Rider's cheek, the blood it greedily tasted a testament to its speed. Her lance pierced his shin armor and made him growl in pain. In the one moment of their respective arcs, they were unable to move. Completely interlocked in battle, becoming like one organism that tried to fight itself.

" _Watch out!"_

Archer had yelled so forcefully that even the deadly interlocked fighters had no choice but to heed his words.

And his urgent voice had not come a second too early.

The entire outer wall of the construction exploded! Through the rain of destruction moved a single mountain of carnage and muscle.

" _ **RAAAAAAHHHHG**_!" His roar was otherworldly, his hatred and madness bone chilling.

The surprised Rider and Lancer could only turn towards the monstrosity that had rushed into them… before their faces were grabbed by its giant twisted hands!

The next moment they were dragged over the ground and finally rammed into a truck. The large vehicle was flung over like it was a pebble and the two Servants flew even further back into the street. They hit the pavement several times until they finally rolled over and stayed down.

The large figure stomped across the destroyed construction site. The mad red eyes and most of his face were covered by a half-melted metallic helmet and muzzle. In his right hand he carried a gigantic black and curved sword that was ragged at the edges, as if it had gotten stuck in countless bones and bodies and pulled out roughly.

This creature of cataclysm could be called nothing else but…

 **Berserker**.


	28. The Beast

**Koyuki didn't exaggerate.**

* * *

 **The Beast**

* * *

Lewy du Rézny walked down the brightly lit streets with a brisk stride. His hands were in his pockets and he appeared like a late commuter on his way home. The average person would not have realized that this hunched figure was in fact ready to strike down anybody that would even so much as close in on him.

"Can't shake him off." He whispered with clenched fists. Ever since Lancer had made him aware of the observer he had been trying to avoid him. Whoever it was had followed him to his home base after visiting McNeil. The moment he realized that they had been found he had been on the move. He had spent the entire day trying to lure the guy out of hiding, but without success.

" _You will never escape them Lehnsherr. That Servant has his eyes everywhere."_ Lancer told him telepathically.

"Those puppets could never keep track of me." Rézny dismissed his Servant's words. "That Master is the real problem."

He stopped below the underpass of a highway. Down here there was barely any light. It led straight into an underground tunnel, so the weak red lights ahead barely spend any contrast on his silhouette. Dark red shapes everywhere.

Lancer materialized next to him and glanced back with his one eye.

"Lancer?"

"Ah… I just sensed a familiar presence." The black knight crossed his arms and kept looking into the direction of a construction site a few blocks over. The half-built house was noticeable due to the bright yellow crane.

"Go."

"Are you certain, Lehnsherr? If I leave you behind now there is no telling if I will return in time." Lancer's words were reasonable, but he seemed to speak them out of formality alone. They both knew already where this was going.

"Take out as many enemies as you can and I will do the same." It sounded too easy and it probably wasn't. But one didn't join the Holy Grail War to sit idly by and observe.

"May you take their heads with glory." Lancer's parting words had a slightly sardonic edge to them, but Rézny would ignore that like he always did.

The knight kicked off the street so hard that he shot into the direction of the next street in the blink of an eye. His speed was remarkable.

Without turning back Rézny pulled out the brass knuckles from his pockets and slid them into place over his fingers. This was it. He had lured them away from the crowded areas and stood ready in a relatively controlled space. Now he would wait…

"Good shit!" The moment he had relaxed his legs a little, a man's voice echoed through the underpass. "You're great! Exactly what I wanted."

Rézny turned around slowly. The enemy had reveled himself much faster than anticipated. This at least proved that he had been that close on their trail the entire time. When he faced the guy who was actually clapping his hands slowly, he furrowed his brows.

He didn't recognize him. Despite his extensive research he could not tell the lanky man's identity. It was not unusual for wild cards to appear in a Grail War. He had expected that at the very least some Masters would hide their identity in some way. But this guy was not from any famous magus family he knew off. And he studied them _all_.

Rézny exhaled and focused on his opponent's body language. He was acting rather casual, but for some reason he could not suppress a feeling of alertness. Something about that one revealed blue eye was unnerving. And his entire right face half was covered by dark-blue hair.

"I told my Servant to leave and you appear… as expected." He said with balled fists. The brass knuckles dug into his skin.

"I ain't stupid. That _thing_ is stronger than me, nothin' to it." The man replied uncaring. His accent was light, but he was definitely a foreigner. Which meant he must have been from a magus family after all, but which one? "I wanna kill you, because you smell like you're strong, but also cuz you're human. Not like those things." He spat out when talking about the Servants.

"My name is Lewy du Rézny." Rézny replied without missing a beat and completely unfazed by the comment about killing him. "I am affiliated with the Clock Tower and will be a future Enforcer-"

"I don't give a fuck who you are." The man interrupted rudely. "I'm here to rip your heart out and consume your strength. That's all." He finally pulled the hands out of his pockets

"…" Those were some confident words. Obviously a sociopath. Rézny took a mental note.

"Fine, shit. Name's Leroy Derickson. Not like you'll be able to remember anythin' after you're dead." He begrudgingly introduced himself after seeing Rézny's expressionless face.

Derickson? Scandinavian. Common last name. No viable clue.

Still, hearing that name roused something inside Rézny's mind. Almost like the distant bell of a church among the loud noises of a busy marketplace. He could almost make it out, but not quite.

"Very well Mr. Derickson. The fact that you haven't ordered your Servant to attack me yet indicates you actually mean your words."

"I told that bastard not to interfere." Derickson replied while cracking his neck casually. His empty gaze was directed at the highway above them.

Rézny nodded slightly. The presence in the shadows would have been unnoticeable to almost any person, but his training at the Burial Squad had enhanced his senses far beyond human limits. Even so, he assumed that the Servant made himself detectable on purpose, perhaps as a warning.

No matter what Derickson might have claimed, his Servant could always intervene in the fight. He had to keep that in the forefront of his mind for the following clash.

"Then I accept your challe-"

 _Blam!_

Rézny quickly dodged the bullet with his superhuman reflexes. The metal projectile of death grazed his dark hair, but no harm was done. He squinted his eyes. Derickson had pulled a gun from his dark blue jacket without hesitation. In the middle of his casual antics he had just initiated the attack. A dirty move, but he didn't seem to think so.

"Way better than that fucking coward already." He smiled and empty smile. Then he unloaded an entire magazine on Rézny.

Instead of trying to dodge them all, he pulled out his Black Keys and materialized the blades. In streaks of silver he cut down ten bullets with blurry movements.

"Hahaha…" Derickson cackled. "This is more like it!" He seemed ecstatic that Rézny could keep up with his shots. He slammed a second magazine into the gun and at the same time hit an incoming Black Key away with the empty one. Afterwards he kept shooting.

Rézny deflected two bullets, but was surprised by the return of both… Derickson had ricocheted them back with two more shots! The former Executor ducked under the crossing bullet and rolled to the side to dodge the next shots.

That aim was super-human. Even the best marksman would be unable to be that precise. The gun must have been Derickson's Mystic Code. What was its ability?

He didn't have the time to think about it as the shower of bullet continued. Each shot was unpredictable as they sometimes got flung off lampposts, car spoilers or other random objects. Yet all trajectories ended right at Rézny's vitals!

He cut down the bullets while jumping back and forth. Being on the defensive was fine, he would eventually exhaust his enemy's arsenal, but being passive was a good way to get killed by surprises as well.

In one fluid motion from his vest pocket he shot six Black Keys at Derickson. The unknown magus didn't even flinch as he moved his head to the side to dodge two and then kicked up his leg to fling a third one into the remaining three. His boot was slightly cut by the blade he had kicked up, but his movement was so fast that it could barely register on the impact.

The Key got stuck in the ceiling and Derickson shot back.

It soon became clear that they were equally matched in a ranged battle. Although the blue-haired fighter's shots were unpredictable, but Rézny was used to the unexpected. His presence of mind was far exceeding any surprise attacks the gunman could throw at him.

Just as unrelenting in his skill, Derickson was dealing with the Black Keys as if they were slow moving toothpicks. The street around him was skewered in a dozen of them by now, but his clothes didn't even have a single cut. One of the blades had been flung into a doves nest and sent the birds chirping in a panic.

Cling, clang- _Swish!_

As the last Black Key was deflected by the gun's butt, Rézny's punch came so fast it even caught Derickson off-guard. He took it straight against the cheek and was pushed back about a meter.

With a low crack he forced his head back into position, with the imprint of the brass knuckles on his face. Blood was flowing from his mouth and nose, but he grinned.

Rézny jumped back to bring some distance between them. That man had just taken one of his punches and kept standing. Did he underestimate him?

"Pfft." He spat a mix of salvia and blood on the street and hit the gun against his head repeatedly. "I actually felt that."

Definitely tougher than he looked. Considering his intense hostility, Rézny designated him as a target that needed to be eliminated. No attempt at suppression or capture anymore.

Bang!

Of course he kept shooting. But for the first time since the start of their fight, Derickson was moving as well. Rézny had not taken note of it, but it occurred to him now that he hadn't managed to move his enemy a single centimeter up until that punch.

He was walking forward without hurry, but his shots were far from slow. Rézny needed to react faster than before. Each shot was harder to deflect and he even got grazed across the shoulder once from a ricocheted shot. As long as he was in the cone of the gun's muzzle he was vulnerable.

He instantly flicked his hand down.

"Izzat some kinda sign language?" Derickson's hollow eyes were following his movements and he hesitated for a moment. The next second he looked up in surprise. Rubble was crushing down on him!

Rézny jumped forward and clutched six Black Keys between his fingers. His trap had worked. The Keys Derickson had carelessly kicked into the highway above them were under his full control, so he just pulled them down to tear some of the cement support out of the ceiling.

The heavy pieces of debris crushed down on the helpless magus and shook the street. The loud rumbling would probably make people in the area aware of something, but this battle was over already. The large pile of rubble was unmoving. It had crushed Derickson completely.

Rézny was of the opinion to better be safe than sorry, so he raised his blades to stab into the pile.

 _Crack_ …. _Crunch_ … **Crrrrkkk** …

The sounds went down his spine like a bad omen. The next moment he had to block a large piece of metal pipe thrown his way.

"What?" He widened his eyes. A distorted claw had risen out of the rubble. It was vaguely human, but bloated and red. With claws as sharp as the talons of draconic creatures.

And now it was cutting through cement like it was paper.

Derickson rose from the rock dust and debris while coughing, then he cut the large pieces apart with his left claw-hand. He growled as he kept slashing the pieces apart until his rage finally subsided.

His heavy breathing was accompanied by a deadly glare.

"Fucking hell- that was a close one- lemme just kill you for that!" His face was twisted in a mix of anger and disturbing happiness. His formerly empty expression had changed to a bloodthirsty lust.

Rézny held his blades in a defensive position. He analyzed his enemy.

Only the left hand had undergone a drastic change, the rest of Derickson's body still appeared human. He could not sense anything special about him at all. Those claws were dangerous, but his human hand was still firmly holding the gun. Meaning he didn't lose his mind… yet.

' _Transmogrification._ ' Rézny concluded with a focused gaze. It was an ancient art, barely even related to magecraft. The way of reshaping one's body into the form of a beast. The original goal was to turn oneself into an animal, but the art had been perverted to the extent of creating monstrosities that even actual beasts would despise. The practitioners had been mostly eradicated around the turn of the 19th century. The Church had declared it a blasphemous magick.

To think that anybody was still practicing in the modern age, let alone use it for battle… It was a sickness that needed to be nipped in the bud.

"Who taught you that?" He asked and reflected the red light of the tunnel behind him on his blades into his enemy's wild left eye.

"Hahaha…. A pathetic old man who's long dead." Derickson kicked the remaining rubble away from him (his strength was shocking) and hunched forward with his claw extended to the side. "I could tell ya where he's buried if ya wanna burn his brittle bones, but s'not like you'll make it out of here alive, riiiight?" His malicious grin was white in the darkness-

Rézny moved the Black Keys downward to deflect the incoming attack, but the claw cut through them like butter - and then some! With a twist of his hips he had managed to avoid getting gutted, but the gun was already pressed against the back of his head.

Bang _bang_ blam-

Three shots, but only two ever left the muzzle. The first two were cutting through the former Executor's hair, but the third was impeded by the blade of a Black Key that went straight into the gun. The bullet got stuck and the entire tool of death was twisted out of Derickson's hand. Rézny twisted around him and grabbed his arm. He moved it over his back and bent it so harshly that it cracked under the strain.

"Graaah!" Derickson cried out, but then butted his head backwards against Rézny's face.

A brass knuckle hit Derickson in the kidney and sent him stumbling forward. His counter attack had been entirely futile.

Rézny was not letting up now. Once you gain an advantage, never stop until your enemy is unable to resist anymore. The next blow was enhanced by a rune on the knuckles and cracked Derickson's left shoulder blade. Blood splattered across his jacket, but he did not care.

 _Swing-_

The claw spun around and almost sliced Rézny's fingers off, but the brass knuckle blocked it. Still it received a crack. Just how sharp were these things?

The gun hit him against the face, but he pushed through the pain and kicked his knee into Derickson's side. They separated with gasps, but immediately clashed again.

Gun against elbow. Black Key against claw. Knuckle against chest.

As they exchanged blows they suddenly heard a familiar rumbling below their feet. A car was coming their way. Rézny squinted in displeasure. This was bad timing. The headlights of the car were already throwing their shadows across the tunnel. He tried to move back, but Derickson shot at his feet with a malefic smile.

He swung after his gun, but the talons blocked the impact enough to deflect the main force. Then he swiped his feet and shot him in the stomach. Of course Rézny had to block it with his brass knuckles, but that cost him precious seconds.

The loud sound of the horn was reaching their ears. The driver had obviously not expected to see two grown man stand in the middle of the tunnel entrance. It was a one-way tunnel too, so there was no room to circumvent them.

Rézny had looked at the incoming white car for just a moment, but even that was too long. Derickson rammed his head against his solar plexus with full forced and then smashed the handle of his gun against his head. The disorienting spinning of his head led to him going to one knee.

The gun was once again pressed to his head.

"Never ignore me again, bastard." He pulled the trigger.

"Hurgh!" His adrenaline strained body was moving beyond its limits. The gun was so close that he could not possibly have blocked the bullet. But he had already moved the gun to the side with a desperately angled punch!

The bullet hit the tire of the car.

Rézny spun around and pushed Derickson in the direction of the tunnel.

The screeching and swerving car reached them.

"Outta my way shithead!" Derickson who had been lying on the ground and would have been crushed by the car, instead raised his claw hand and cut it open… the entire front of the car received three giant deep cuts and then flung it into the air! The car spun in the air for several seconds before it finally crashed into the walls and then screeched against the curvature of the tunnel until it stopped a total wreck somewhere in the new darkness created by the crushed lamps.

There was no doubt that Derickson's strength was ludicrous. At the very least his transmogrified arm could go beyond anything he had displayed before.

In the background the car was smoking, but it did not go up in fire or explode like they did in movies.

"…" Rézny felt a tinge of guilt for the driver's demise. He would have preferred to avoid casualties like this. But when fighting a beast there was no telling what the mad creature would do.

Rézny stumbled to the side as he received a heavy blow to the head then almost in trance, dodged a bullet, except it got ricocheted back against his calves. Even in the heat of battle Derickson's aim was beyond good. The searing pain on his leg was not stopping him either though.

With a flip back he jumped against the tunnel wall and then kicked off, flying straight over the shooting madman. As he passed him he stabbed his blades into his back, but only went shallow. A few drops of blood were his only reward as he slid across the tunnel's paved floor.

"Elusive prey, but not fast enough!" Derickson was kneeling on the ground… his hands were tracing the blood trail Rézny left. The red fingertips moved up… and then the freak started licking the blood with his red tongue. "You taste- sososo sweet!" The madness was starting to take over his face.

"Abomination…" Rézny said in disgust and went into a boxing stance. Someone who went for the ancient art of transmogrification should be expected to also be a cannibal perhaps, but his disgust was unavoidable. He had seen many monsters eat humans alive… and not all of them were animals. The cruelest beast of all was sentient and mad after all.

The next bullet swished past him, aimlessly. Derickson had lost himself in cackles, so he missed. Rézny stepped forward as if in slow motion and countered the incoming claw with calm motions. Then he hit the freak in the chest with the force of a rune boosted punch and all his strength. The result was expected. The surprised mage's ribcage was torn open and Derickson was flung into the tunnel wall. Blood was gushing everywhere.

Rézny's right fist was shaking. He had used too much force; the recoil had shaken the bones in his arm. Sprained. It had been a long time since he last used this stance at full power.

"Urghg… grrlgle… Heeeh…" From the impact crater he could hear the gurgling and pained death throes of the foolish Master he had incapacitated.

He stepped forward and pulled out a new Black Key. He would end his life swiftly as his only mercy. The blade went straight into Derickson's throat.

 _Grab._

Rézny's eyes widened. Derickson's human gun hand was tightly grasping his arm. The grip was so tight he could not shake out of it.

"Gegrjerk…" He could not talk with a blade in his throat, but it was obvious what he was trying to say. His mad expression was filled by a twisted grin. Blood was gushing from his mouth, but he laughed.

"…!" Rézny knew he could not hesitate. A cornered beast would do anything to take him down with it. He moved his other fist fast enough to break the sound barrier and crushed his enemy's skull…. Or would have.

His heart stopped. No… his entire body stopped. The fist that was aimed for the temple of Derickson's bloody head was not moving anymore.

He watched in terror as Derickson slowly pulled the blade out of his throat and let it clank onto the ground. Then he grabbed Rézny's free arm that was unable to move and… pulled it to the side until it cracked. It did not break due to the rune enhancement, but if it had been unprotected it would have snapped off like a twig, that's how strong the claw hand was.

"Kurrkrk… haaah… Pwetty… ggouud." To his unending despair, the mage's throat was closing up. The blood flow stopped. His words became more intelligible.

Why couldn't he move? Not even his eyes would move. His entire body was stuck… It was as if… time had stopped only for him.

That one red eye kept staring at him in amusement and burning passion. Red? Derickson's eye was… red?

"Krrrk… better. That hurt like fucking hell. I haven't felt a pain like that in years." He rubbed his throat and then punched Rézny in the face so hard that his nose broke. He was flung back, and slid across the floor until he hit the opposite wall. In the next moment he regained feeling in his body and the pain flared up across his arms and nose.

What was that? What was that? WHAT had he done?!

Rézny panicked. He had to cut his skin with one of his blades to focus up. There had to be an explanation. Derickson… he wasn't human. There was no way. Unless the transmogrification allowed him to have heightened regeneration? He had never heard of that before!

"What's up Unibrow? Shit your pants already?" Derickson grinned his toothy and bloody grin and picked the gun back up from the ground where it had fallen after his painful contact with Rézny's fist. Although the wound in his chest was healing slowly, he seemed to be still out of sorts. His legs were finding it hard to stay in place and his back didn't go straight.

"What… are… you?" Rézny regained his cool through deep breathing and then got up from the painful position he had been lying in.

"You ain't as surprised as the other guys I killed. Prolly not the first time ya've seen this kinda thing?" He looked at his claw as if it was a fascinating trinket. "That makes it more fun for me."

"Are you a _Dead Apostle_? Which parent do you serve?"

"The hell? Do I look like a stinkin' vampire to you?" He seemed to feel insulted and shot a bullet at him. Of course it was deflected, but Rézny held his hurting arm from the sudden motion. "I'm alive… and I'll kill ya. That's all there's to this. That's the way of the strong."

"Strength for the sake of itself is meaningless." Rézny could not see a shred of interest for philosophy in that man's eyes, yet he felt like rebutting him all the same.

"Says who? _You_ Unibrow? Well fuck that. If you're dead that means I was right and you were wrong." He readied his claw. "And anyway, you still didn't give me enough of your life force… this won't satisfy me!"

Derickson moved forward rapidly. Rézny was hesitant… he still didn't understand how the freak had stopped his movements. But…

Their fists clashed. Rézny gritted his teeth as he pushed forward and ignored the ringing of his bones. He wasn't dealing with a human here. Whatever Derickson was, he had to give up on measuring him in human standards - even if he was a magus - and treat him as a beast that required extermination.

His left-right punch combo was followed by a kick to his enemy's side. It was a feint and afterwards he sliced right through the madman's right arm. His reflexes were good, so he did not get his limb cut off, but the blood gushing from the wound proved how strong the attack was.

"Draah!" He spun his arm around… and splashed the blood into Rézny's face. He covered his eyes, but that motion left him wide open. The claw slashed across his chest. "You're tough prey!" He laughed madly.

Rézny's chest was glowing with the rune of protection. It had made his body more durable for just a moment, but it was short-lived. His last ditch defenses were getting used up.

The next slash was diverted by his upwards kick and then he slammed the gun aside with his elbow. He flipped forward and kicked Derickson against the head, which made him stagger. The next moment he stabbed two Black Keys into his shoulders and made a hand sign.

" **Kyrie Eleison!"**

The Keys were glowing bright and Derickson screamed in pain.

The holy sacraments didn't affect him much… meaning he was really not a vampire. This level of damage would even be caused to a normal human when hit by the sacrament and prayer.

Before Derickson could fully recover, he grabbed the man's bleeding (but also regenerating) arm and twisted it until he finally let go of the gun. He grabbed it and then smashed it into the ground with his brass knuckles. The gun was crushed beyond recovery. The hundred pieces were spreading across the tunnel.

"Ungh!" The one moment of distraction was enough for the claw to slash his back. He had moved with the attack, so the scratches were light, but he still felt the burning.

"That was my favorite gun, asshole." He licked the blood from the claw and made some inhuman sounds. The slobbering was revolting.

Rézny rolled back and then jumped on his feet. The pain from several parts of his body was irrelevant. He had taken out the Mystic Code of the enemy magus and wounded him severely. Seeing how he could regenerate only at a certain pace, it was clear that crushing his vitals would be enough to kill him completely.

He mustered the carefree figure inside the low red tunnel light. Despite all the rapid movements Derickson's hair had never stopped covering his right face half. His blue eye was looking at him with excitement. He was completely unreceptive of danger. Did he not take him seriously?

"Give me more… you are worthy prey after all… you have sooooo much life force…." He muttered something and then sauntered over to him.

He was about to do it… Rézny felt a strange tingling in his neck area. His sense for danger was over developed. This sort of '7th sense' was rarely off. Derickson raised his head and looked forward with a spread open red eye!

But Rézny wasn't in front of him anymore. He had jumped up with rune boosted legs and was now on the ceiling. All the Black Keys spread over the battlefield were at the tips of his mental control He had infused them with enough prana for one special use each. Time to use that.

"I'm up here abomination!" He called out to him. Revealing one's location so foolishly was a rookie mistake, but…

"Ya think this is a safe distance?!" Apparently Derickson was pissed off that he tried to run. "I'll come up there to fuck you up!" He jumped against the tunnel wall and rammed his claw into it. His grip strength was enough to crush the bricks. And he made good on his word, he climbed the ceiling in seconds.

Rézny flipped across the ceiling and rammed another blade into it to stay up, dodging Derickson's attack at the same time. Then he had to flip over when a huge pile of bricks was thrown his way. He punched through another one. Even without the gun, Derickson still had a ranged option… even if he had to literally tear it out of his surroundings.

Then he jumped over…

Too fast. Rézny realized he could not dodge in time even if he moved to the side, so instead he let himself fall from the ceiling!

"Realign… Skewer!" He clapped his hands together. At the same moment his body stopped moving again. He felt the cold icy sensation of immobility spread across his body. Derickson was glaring him down as he came rushing forward. Impossible. Could he really stop time?!

Twenty Black Keys flew at the madman from every direction and in his mid-air trajectory he could not dodge. He only managed to deflect half, the others stabbing into his limbs and back. He twisted his face away in pain.

"Gah!" Rézny crashed into the ground. His body could move again, but just a little too late to lessen the impact of the fall. Whatever his 'time-stop' was, it apparently didn't work when Derickson lost focus. That was too close for comfort.

No time to contemplate. Rézny's shirt and vest were torn to pieces already, so he threw them aside. Only his bare torso was reflecting the red light now. His muscle-bound arms were angled back. The wounds across his skin were more crimson than the light red tunnel lights, so they made a strong contrast.

The runes on his cracked brass knuckles glowed up red. This was the final attack. As Derickson was falling down in agony, he would completely and utterly annihilate his head with a single fire-boosted punch.

Time seemed to slow down, but this time for both parties.

He moved his arm back and then twisted his fist upwards in a spiral like motion.

" _Perish in the flames of judgment_ … AMEN!" He threw the punch that had enough force to make the ceiling crack from just pressure alone. Fire engulfed his fists, but he did not even feel its burning sting. Derickson's hair fluttered to the side and his right eye was revealed-

 _Fliiiing_

Something almost soft and fluid twinkled in the air. It was moving through Rézny's brass knuckles and cut them to pieces… then it went for his forehead. The sharpness-made-reality cut through his skin and would slice open his skull!

Derickson landed in front of him and held his claw forward. It had grabbed whatever was about to kill Rézny. The former Executor could only watch in horror as the claw moved over his face and then was cut in two.

"You piece of shit…" The blood covered beast growled. "MASKED BITCH! I told you not to interfeeeeere!" He roared into the tunnel. His half torn burning waist was not impeding to him as he stumbled forward into the tunnel and shouted at something that wasn't visible.

Rézny lowered his fists and held his chest that was covered in cold sweat. He couldn't believe it. Derickson had just saved his life. It was his own fault too. He had reminded himself not to forget about the Servant, but he did anyway. This was a beginners' mistake. But why did he have to be saved by…

" _Why_?! Come back here!" He shouted with anger he couldn't even explain. With fury pulsing in his blood he turned around to confront Derickson, but he was already gone. "You dare run from this!?"

His exhausted shouts were pointless, but he needed to make his frustration known. He was so close to exterminating a monster, but instead he had been saved by the very thing he despised.

His dehydrated head was hurting. Gathering his thoughts was a daunting task now.

The only thing on his mind was that he needed to exterminate _**him**_ _. He needed to erase that thing from the world. It was his duty. It had been seared into his body. The need to kill all inhuman abominations. The teachings were his guide and life._

He pressed a hand against his broken nose to channel that burning pain. For a few moments his mind blanked out. Then he regained his sense of self.

The Church didn't control his actions anymore. He was his own man. Derickson was meaningless. The only thing that mattered was the Grail.

Bringing his shaking arms under control, he took one step at a time. Until he reached the car wreck. Despite his beaten and sweaty body he still had the strength to tear the bent door off and look inside. What he saw inside was expected, but still unpleasant.

The driver was a middle-aged man, perhaps an office worker. His white polo shirt was covered in red. His jaw was twisted in an unnatural way. The metal pole of the tunnel's wall structure had drilled itself straight through the car's floor and the seat… into the man's chest. He was impaled.

His delirious tortured eyes reacted to the shifting light of Rézny's entrance.

The poor man was still _alive_. A corpse that hadn't realized its death yet. His broken jaw moved a bit and he made unintelligible sounds.

There was no hope for him. Rézny could see that his lungs were pierced and pretty much anything between that and the lower back. It was a miracle that he was still alive. A horrible and unjust miracle.

"I am deeply sorry." He leaned forward and sat down on the passenger's seat. The smell of blood, oil and smoke was nauseating, but it didn't matter to him. "You may rest now. I wish that you find peace in the next life."

The Black Keys were made for the reaping of lives. Neutral and unbiased. Their blades were directed at whoever the wielder wished to send off to the next world. Sometimes deserved, sometimes unfair.

The movement was short and unspectacular. The man's body went limp.

Ending the suffering of innocents… How many times had he deluded himself with those words in the past? It never got easier for him. And yet his hands had moved with machine like precision, unwavering and swift.

How did a killer like him deserve to fulfill a wish so pure?

If he doubted himself now he might lose the will to finish the path.


	29. Monster

**Sorry about the delay. To make up for this little blunder there will be two chapters this week ~  
**

* * *

 **Monster**

* * *

The woman raised her wrist and pushed the button on the side of her watch. It lit up and then displayed the time digitally. Midnight.

She lowered herself to the edge of the rooftop and then stretched her legs forward. After finding a comfortable position and a good view on the streets that were about 40 stories below her dangling legs, she took out a small red book. The envelope was worn and faded. There were even small coffee stains and tears on the pages. Her fingers went across the lines gently while she read them again, as she did countless times before. Her silky raven hair was moved by the wind so high up and fell onto the pages, so she swiped it back behind her shoulders.

Just as she had crossed her legs to calmly read, a shadowy figure stepped out of the background. Each step of the giant boots shook the flat rooftop. The giant said nothing, but he exuded a murderous intent that was nearly palpable.

"You have finally come to insist on that promise I made you." Her voice was soothingly low. The giant behind her did not reply of course, but she was aware of his thoughts and desires. She had indeed promised him that he would play his part. "Very well then. Run wild to your heart's content. Set free the hatred and madness of your soul. You have until the break of dawn."

She had not spared him a single look, but they had an agreement. Soon the tranquil city below would turn into a painting of destruction and carnage. Thus was the nature of the man she had chained to herself.

"How will you react my dear fellow Masters?" She made a delighted sound as she flipped another page. This was her favorite part.

* * *

"What is that thing?!" Shigechiyo stumbled to his feet and pointed at the gargantuan guy that had made short work of Rider and Lancer. This surprise attacker had rampaged through the construction site and pushed him and Koyuki aside just by the force of his air pressure alone.

Koyuki!

He spun his head around to see what happened to her, but the young shrine maiden had somehow managed to hold on to a pipe protruding from the sandy ground. She was extending her arm and the paper bird Sora returned to her with a squawk.

"A Servant." Koyuki swallowed and looked up to Archer on the roof of a nearby house. The seasoned General nodded.

"Rider-san!" The relief of seeing Koyuki alright was not enough. He was even more worried about the blonde Valkyrie who had been smashed into the streets.

"Curses…" Rider was pushing herself up by her lance. Despite the heavy hit she had taken she was still up pretty fast. Her blue and silver armor had received a sizeable dent. She had already exerted herself in the fight against Lancer, so being forced to fight a completely energetic foe was not going to be easy.

"Pfft." Lancer spat out blood and leaned his back against a lamp pole. He had a tougher time rising to his feet. The wound he had received to his leg by the lance was still recovering. "Where have you been hiding this entire time?" He asked with a sardonic smirk. "I've been searching these streets for days, yet someone this humongous thing escaped my attention?"

The giant warrior walking towards them slowly, but inevitably, was covered only partially with armor. It was of a dark, rusting silver that had turned brown at this point. His face was covered with a melted helmet that seemed to have fused with his skin. The blackest eyes in the holes behind the helmet had a red glint in their center. What wasn't covered by the helmet was bound by a horrible muzzle around his mouth. The opening revealed fang like teeth behind.

The Servant's skin was so dark that it resembled black ink. His legs and arms were completely unarmored, but the muscles were bulging even out of the covered torso.

The huge black blade scratched across the street as he finally reached his enemies.

"This is the first time we meet." Rider said with a resolute stance. She was slightly off-balance to the trained eye though.

"…" The mountain of meat and metal did not reply. Instead he swung his towering blade down on her!

She moved up her lance in response, but the impact of the black blade pushed her down into the cracking street!

"Such power…!" She gritted her teeth as she pushed back for her life.

" _RAAAAAAHH!_ " The monstrous Servant roared and then punched Rider away with his free fist. She had no way to resist and was flung through a store window. He immediately rushed after her!

 _Swish swish swish_

Clang!

Three arrows were easily deflected by the ragged edge of the black sword. The wielder of the metal slab in sword form had not even looked up.

"If you were intend on garnering my ire…" Rider's voice echoed out of the broken store window. "… you have succeeded!" She burst out of the shoe store and rammed her lance straight into the giant's arm. It went in deep, drawing surprisingly red blood.

" _ROOOORRHHRHRH_!" The monstrous Servant pulled back his arm, dragging Rider along by the lance. He then punched her straight against the glowing shield. It negated the force of his attack, but she was still at his mercy. The next moment she was swung in an arc and flew straight towards Lancer who had just raised his spear.

"My apologies." He slipped past Rider's body and let her hit a parked car behind him. His eye was only focused on the rampaging monster in front of him. "Be it witches, monsters or even heroes, they all fall before me. Prepare yourself… Berserker!"

He spun the spear behind his back and suddenly stabbed forward. His speed was great, but it flung off the tight armor on the chest plate. He dodged the giant blade with ease and spun his spear back into his right hand. The next slash went across the monster's unprotected legs. Just like Rider he drew blood and left a sizeable wound on the Servant's flesh.

The attack of retaliation was completely unencumbered by the wounds and sent Lancer sliding back across the street. The giant sword was pushing against the wooden spear with bloodthirsty strength. Lancer's biceps started to contract as he pushed back with all his might. His strength was greater than it seemed.

Berserker was pushing with just one arm, but he still seemed mad that he was unable to crush his smaller opponent like this.

"Keh… is that it?" Lancer mocked as sweat was pearling on his forehead. The spear started to creak under the pressure.

" _HHHRRRGHH_!" That's when Berserkers growl became an entire octave lower. The black sword pressed forward… and through the spear!

Lancer's eyes widened. For just a moment it appeared as if his weapon had been sliced in two, but that was not the case. Instead the curved sword was… _phasing_ through his spear. In an instant it went for his throat-

The one-eyed knight let go of his spear and rolled to the side. The tip of the sword missed his Adam's apple by mere millimeters. As Lancer flipped over and held on to a parking sign he touched his throat. There was no blood.

But Berserker did not stop his attack. He came crushing right through the car and parking sign and then rammed the building behind Lancer. The wall was torn down in a huge rumbling explosion of dust. He had even less regard for collateral damage than the knight class Servant.

Lancer kept moving and stretched out his hand. His spear returned to it by itself. He then stabbed it backwards, straight into Berserker's heel and dodged another swing of the sword. Now that he knew about its phasing properties he couldn't allow himself to clash with it anymore.

The blood flow from the wounds would eventually tire this giant out, so he just needed to play the long game.

Lancer glared at his chasing opponent. The arm wound Rider had delivered to him… was gone. That was simply impossible. He had seen how deeply she had rammed her lance into it. Even a Servant would not regenerate that fast. The leg wound was already closing as he looked at it.

Berserker swung his sword, but was hit by two arrows against the helmet. They only left small scratches in the metal and bounced off uselessly. The same moment Rider's Lance cut across the huge monster's back. Their attacks were synchronized. Lancer moved forward and joined in.

When faced with such an outrageous enemy that was beyond reason, it was natural to combine forces. They hadn't exchanged a word, but were still acting together. And they were in dire need of that combined strength.

Berserker managed to ignore the lance cutting through his skin and grabbed Rider by the head. The last few runes across her armor flared up in a light green glow. As he rammed her into a wall and then tore her through it entirely horizontally until the entire house was starting to shake, the force was repelled by the runes. Huge waves of impacts hit the mad Servant repeatedly and tore the skin and armor off his flesh.

But he did not loosen his grip. Through all the pain and damage… he just kept tossing Rider around!

"Rider-san!" Shige cried out in horror. He rushed onto the street, unsure of what he was even trying to accomplish. His legs had moved on their own.

"Haaah!" Suddenly a blue arc slashed across Berserker's arm and cut it down to the tendons. Rider fell out of his terrific grasp and then stumbled back into the direction of the street. Archer flicked his short sword back to get rid of the red blood that had been stuck to it.

Lancer watched the two Servants face off with a calculating look.

Berserker's arm was gashing with blood, but it soon reconnected its muscle fibers. He didn't even wait for that though, the sword was wildly swung across the place, cutting apart the street corner and a mailbox. Archer had an almost serene step to his feet. Without exerting any energy he was dodging between the sword slashes.

"Huah! Tah! Zea!" Every time Berserker showed an opening he sliced through his flesh and occasionally got thrown back by the armor. In the end it seemed they could only harm the exposed body parts. Which made it impossible to reach his vitals.

Archer flipped back, letting his red fabric dance across the night, and landed next to Rider who had somewhat recovered. Without a word they switched. Archer had already drawn his bow the moment she deflected Berserker's sword. The arrows kept hitting his helmet, which was at the very least distracting to him.

Lancer finally jumped in and kicked Berserker's back. Just as the sword was about to cut him, Rider's lance stabbed into the giant's elbow.

" _RAAAAAAAERRRRGHH_!" The roars of the monster were getting louder as he was poked and spun around by his three enemies. Only… there was not a hint of pain in his shouts. Nothing but anger and frustration carried through his vocal cords.

"He is fighting all three of them at the same time!" Shige couldn't believe it. Each of these three was already completely beyond anything a human could ever hope to reach and yet this mountain of rage was keeping up with them!?

"That is no hero." Koyuki said with clasped hands. She watched the destructive force with fearful eyes. "It's a monster."

Berserker rammed his shoulder into Lancer and then jumped up with incredible strength. He had grabbed a car on the way up and then threw it at Archer. The gallant Servant shot a focused arrow through it which split it apart, but the next second Berserker's sword sliced right across him. Archer's magnificent bow deflected the attack and took no damage.

He rammed it right into Berserker's lowering legs and forced him to kneel. Lancer and Rider appeared from both of his sides and put their blades to the mad giant's throat.

"Farewell, nameless Servant." Rider said and moved her three-tipped lance. The spear moved at the same time. They cut deep into the small opening between the body armor and the helmet.

In the flickering light of a felled street lamp their shadows were twisted into a giant horrible mass which slowly mixed with the pouring blood.

"Wha-?!" Rider gasped.

"Impossible-" Lancer frowned.

They had cut into his flesh… but they could not sever his head. His muscles were contracting so heavily that they held the blades in place with sheer strength! And Berserker rose. And he moved forward. One stomping step at a time.

Archer raised his bow and shot an arrow straight at the blades, burying them even deeper into the throat. But that last ditch effort was in vain as well. Berserker rammed his fist into Archer's bow and slammed it across his face. Then he rammed his elbow into Rider and head butted Lancer (while the spear still stuck in his throat!).

The injuries from the previous attacks were all but a distant dream. He grabbed the wooden spear and pulled it out of his neck. Then he rammed it straight into the fallen Lancer's side.

"Gaaah!" He let out a pained voice, but managed to roll away from the sword that cut apart the street.

"They are losing!" Shige grabbed his face nervously. He wanted to do something, but what could anybody do in front of that walking disaster?!

"The Master." Koyuki grabbed Shige's free hand and pulled him out of his despair. "If we find the Master we can stop the Servant!" Her light filled eyes were a beacon of hope.

"W-w-what if it is one of the guys you saw before? The ones you said weren't human?" He didn't want to even think of fighting someone like that, but Rider-san was in real trouble. It was up to them now!

"That is impossible. Their auras were wrong." Koyuki cutely shook her head with raised hands.

"You can tell something like that?"

"A Master and Servant have a similar wavelength. One of the men I saw had a strong bond with Lancer-dono!" She even called the enemy Servant with respect. Her fascination with heroes was astounding.

"The other guy?"

"I-I don't know, but it was a very different chi from this…" She looked at the rampaging Berserker. She flicked her hands and Sora returned to bird form. "Please look for anybody suspicious!" This time the bird flew into the opposite direction of the area she had searched before.

" _GRAAAAH_!" Berserker's roar was spine-chilling. They turned back to the fight and saw something shocking.

"What trickery is this-!" Rider struggled to move. At first it seemed like she was being pulled back by something invisible, but then the darkness molded into something… physical.

Black chains.

Her arms and legs were entangled. The chains that seemed to come from the shadows themselves were pulling her back. Her wrist was pushed so far back that she lost grip on her lance.

"Rider!" Archer shot a dozen arrows at Berserker. The giant didn't even react as he walked forward. The arrows were repelled by his armor and helmet. Unlike before he was not distracted by it.

"Ghhh…krrk…." Rider kept struggling against the chains that spawned out of her long shadow. At some point a fire had broken out inside a building they had crashed through. Her flickering shadow was distorted.

Berserker stomped towards her and then raised his sword. Archer dashed forward. Lancer was still recovering from pulling his own spear out of his body. There was no time.

 _Slice!_

 **CLANG!**

The same instant Berserker swung down; his head was hit by a morning star on a chain. Archer had managed to bridge the distance with it. Unlike the arrows, this weapon managed to move the mad Servant's head to the side.

In the last second the chains around Rider disappeared. She kicked up her lance and caught it in the last possible moment before getting cut down. The black sword crashed down on the hilt, but was unable to destroy it.

But it didn't have to.

Just as with Lancer before, the sword phased through her lance. It cut straight through her arm.

"NOOO!" Shige screamed.

The lance fell down. The right hand that had been holding it was not supporting it anymore. It fell down lifelessly. The next slash would have ended her, but even when being short one arm, a hero was far from defeated.

Rider blocked the sword with her immaculate shield. The sword turned into darkness once again to phase through, but it got stuck on the shield. The filigree symbols were glowing in a myriad colors.

Berserker growled and then punched at her. She deflected it again. With just one arm and a shield she kept blocking his onslaught of attacks. Chains shot out from the shadow behind her, but she raised the shield high! Its light was so bright that for just a moment it erased all shadows. The chains dissipated.

"I do not know what that sword of yours is capable of." Her eyes turned silver. "But I will not fall by the hand of one that has lost himself to the call of blood!"

"Well said Valkyrie." Lancer stabbed his spear into Berserker's armored back. It was glowing yellow. "Those who lose to the rush of blood will be felled first." He pulled his spear back and blood shot out of the hole inside the formerly impenetrable armor. "Next are those who forget their place." He sliced through Berserker's ankles as he turned around. The giant fell to his knees. "And the last to die are those that do what must be done." He rammed his yellow glowing spear into Berserker's heart.

It somehow pierced through a tiny chip in the armor that had been unnoticeable. The bent metal was giving in under this most unexpected of angles. It seemed like it was not Lancer guiding the spear, but the spear guiding Lancer's arm.

"Wow…" Shige could barely believe his eyes. They had somehow managed to defeat him! Rider-san's arm wasn't actually cut off either. He didn't understand why she let it dangle like that, but there was no visible wound!

They had won!

 _Ba-dump._

Like a heartbeat, a vibration went through Berserker's skewered body. His limbs pulsed. His heart that was pierced kept pumping forcefully.

Suspicious, Lancer pulled his spear out and spun it behind him. Berserker was mortally wounded, but the way he acted was not like that of a dying beast, which made it extremely unbelievable.

"He is gathering mana." Archer's eyes turned sharp. "Get some distance!" He called out to Rider, who reacted instinctively. She jumped back atop a tree and then towards a rooftop. Her right arm dangled around all the while.

"Son of a who-" Lancer cast off his armor and basically vanished at his highest speed.

They were all too slow.

"Koyuki-sama!" Archer suddenly appeared in front of the two high-school Masters. He had pulled up a great shield on his back and was grabbing their arms to drag them with him.

Then it happened. The holes in Berserker's armor widened. They were glowing from heat. The mad Servant raised his head so far up that it looked like he broke his spine and then he shouted. So loud that it could probably be heard across half the city.

Green and black, forceful and all-consuming, the flames of the Netherworld spread out of the armor. In mere seconds they exploded into a flaming pillar that spread into a radius of the entire street and the buildings around it.

Waves of heat crashed into the surroundings and set the dry wood of trees on fire. The flames flared up in a venomous green, but were then swallowed by the black completely. Berserker's body had been entirely swallowed.

The tree below Rider was consumed and she had to jump back to avoid the half molten roof dragging her into the infernal flames!

Archer's shield took the brunt of the blast, but it was completely eaten by the greedy flames. He pushed Koyuki and Shige beyond the ruins of the construction site, right behind a pile of cement sacks. His red and black armor was singed terribly, but he had been able to escape death.

Lancer was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he had escaped, maybe he had been vaporized by the deadly blaze.

"A suicide attack…" Archer coughed as he had inhaled the poisonous smoke of the smoldering cars and tools.

"W-what about Rider-san?!" Shige moved out from behind the cement, but was immediately met by a wave of heat.

"She is well." Archer pushed him back gently by the shoulder and pointed at the distant rooftop. Rider had blocked the outliers of the fire with her shield. She was looking down at them with concern, but after seeing them alive and well she nodded and then returned her gaze to the epicenter of the fire.

"N-no. It w-wasn't suicide." Koyuki said with a trembling voice. Her superior perception of the spiritual flow in the world must have made her realize something they didn't.

"Impressive." Archer massaged his chin and watched the unthinkable unfold.

Berserker was getting up from the ashes. Without so much as a scratch he moved through the flames. Somehow the fire that had erupted from inside him had no effect on him.

"Where is he going?" Shige watched with a mix of astonishment and fear.

"Retreat?" Archer furrowed his brows. His doubt was obvious.

Of course seeing the devastation caused by this monster and the fact that its wounds had completely closed up would make anybody doubt that he could be stopped let alone forced to retreat.

"He destroyed so much." Koyuki's face was pale.

"…" Shige had been so deeply in shock that he couldn't even comprehend why Koyuki was so pale. He had just assumed it was due to fear. No, what she had felt there must have been horrific. This wasn't the business or the harbor district, which would have been relatively empty at night. This was a residential area.

His stomach twisted and he felt like throwing up.

The burning houses all around them were underlined by something really unnerving. Silence.

Even if some people might have been vaporized instantly, at least some should have been able to survive. Why was nobody panicking or screaming or running out of their homes?

"He is entering the houses. I will pursue, please stay back and look out for danger." Archer kicked off a metal girder and followed through the flames. This fire was unnatural. It didn't just go out. It seemed to fade only after Berserker had made some distance.

Shige's throat was dry, but not just because of the hot air. His hand was shaking.

'Get it under control. Get it under control dammit!' He screamed inside his head to calm down. He had to be level headed. If he put the death all around him out of his mind he could maybe figure out… something.

"Sora?!" Koyuki suddenly spun around and looked into the direction of an intersection. "Please no!" She ran off without a second thought.

"Wait, don't just- W-we can't split up!" Shige called after her in distress. This was just great. He had no idea where to go or what to do.

He moved his head back and forth between the direction the Servants went and the way Koyuki ran. He steeled his heart, bit his cheek… and ran towards the fiery inferno.


	30. Stardust II

**Someone asked me which music to play when reading this story. In case anybody else had that question on their mind (for some odd reason), anything from the Nasurverse OSTs is probably good. The Fate franchise and Kara no Kyoukai have good soundtracks.  
**

 **This was BuD's music corner! Oh dear.**

* * *

 **Stardust II**

* * *

A little while ago.

Collingwood stepped forward to lean against the railing of the rooftop fence. His eyes were focused on something incredible, yet ominous.

"Derickson is much stronger than I expected." He said and bit his lip.

"It seems the exterminator has found worthy prey. Or is it the other way around perhaps?" Caster whistled. She adjusted the Astral Gate to get a better angle. She had created a hand-mirror sized portal just to get a close look on the battle between the former Executor and the mad mage. Anything bigger than that would have been noticed by someone, especially the Servant of that gun toting maniac.

Collingwood kept his word and had only taken position to spy on the fights happening around them. Caster was actually rather good at providing Intel when she felt like it. Compared to their previous encounters this was much smoother.

"Oh my, that must have hurt." Caster was commenting on Rézny's final attack with a girlish shriek. Her acting was impeccable if nothing else.

"Nothing less of a Burial Squad member." Collingwood bit his thumb nail. Those two had been going head to head for a while and it seemed to end with Rézny's victory. If they took each other out that would probably have been the most favorable outcome for them.

"Hmph. A crafty one, that puppet master." Caster crossed her arms and before Collingwood could ask what she was on about, Rézny almost got decapitated by nothing.

"Derickson's Servant!"

"Very observant, Master." She said with a finger pointed his way.

Derickson threw a tantrum and escaped the battle. For someone who pursued his prey like a madman he was extremely good at retreating. Rézny on the other hand seemed rather banged up and close to fainting.

He cupped his chin and watched with a mix of respect and pity as the executor walked towards the trashed car. Yet while he observed, he also felt a pair of eyes on him as well. He turned to look at Caster who was giving him a rather rare expression.

Emotionless.

"What is it?"

"This is an opportunity, is it not?"

"….probably." He knew what she was getting at. Both Rézny and Derickson were extremely weak right now. They had exhausted each other splendidly. If a third party were to appear now, even someone who usually stood no chance would be able to take them down.

"I will lose track of that ghoul-armed man soon. The shadow is obfuscating his path from our eyes." She flicked her fingers and showed him the way Derickson's blood trail led. "On the other hand our very first opponent here seems unable to move on for a while longer."

"I see."

"Hm. Not as enthusiastic as I had expected." She raised a lilac brow.

"I'm weighing my options." He hastily got her off his case. One hand went through his unkempt hair.

"Such an opportunity will possibly never present itself again. Have you made peace with that?"

The clock was ticking. Derickson might already have been beyond their reach. It was only a matter of time before Rézny gathered his reserves to move out as well.

His mind was going in circles. The options were overwhelming, but one underlying principle did not change. If he acted now…

"This is the best chance yet." He repeated. But then he gave her a light smirk. "But I promised we would stick with reconnaissance today."

For a moment Caster's unmoving face made him think he had chosen the wrong answer. Just a moment later she gave him a satisfied smile though.

"You have become clever with your words. I will accept that excuse, because it makes me feel like you truly care for my opinion." She was ever teasing, but he could still feel the sting through those words.

"There is another fight going on." He turned his face away quickly to avoid her deep knowing eyes.

"That unruly knight and the hotheaded Valkyrie." She opened a new Gate and they looked at the construction side.

"Valkyrie… did you figure out Rider's identity?" He looked back with surprise.

"I had a hunch, true, but do not look at me so. That one-eyed brooder just announced it to all who have ears." She leaned on the railing next to him and winked. "The question of her true name is still a mystery all the same."

So she had been keeping tabs on that fight simultaneously. Collingwood wondered if she also had eyes on her back.

The fight between the two armored Servants proceeded slowly. They were both holding back. At least he could only assume so, considering Rider was not riding anything and Lancer didn't seem to use his Noble Phantasm. Were they still testing out the waters?

"While it may be a quick solution for some battles, relying on Noble Phantasms has rather enormous downsides for many of us." Caster suddenly answered his non-verbal inquiry.

"Because it takes a lot or prana?"

"That is part of it. An A-rank Noble Phantasm is rarely prana efficient after all." She nodded. "The more pressing issue is the reveal of a Servant's identity, naturally." She spun a ribbon around her slender finger and looked down the roof with a melancholic expression.

"Then we just need to take them out in one go." Collingwood replied with a dry mouth. Had she set herself up on purpose? It was hard to believe that she brought it up on accident. If he asked her now, would she give him a straight answer?

With a sudden explosion of rubble their attention was drawn back to the fight. A small rock had flown through the Gate and hit the flat paving of the roof.

"Here comes the main event!" Caster jumped off the rail and moved the portal. They tracked the wrecking Servant's rampage.

"What the hell is that thing?" Collingwood watched the events unfold with nervous hands inside his pockets.

"By his overly bulky appearance and general lack of eloquence, I would take a stab in the dark and presume it is a _Berserker_."

'I could have told that much myself.' He suppressed the snide retort and watched with increasing discomfort as the city block was trashed and three Servants were pushed to their limits.

"This one has moxy." Caster said with an unreadable expression, referring to Berserker apparently.

A brutal understatement. That monster was wrecking the entire city and all his enemies while he was at it. Collingwood's legs were shaking. Not from fear, but rather a need… a rising need he could barely ignore.

Caster noticed. He knew she was glancing at him from the side. There was nothing he could do, but ignore her for now.

The situation evolved from bad to worse as something so outrageously huge got unleashed that he could see it with his bare eyes even from this distance. The fire pillar was bright enough to light up the entire block.

Impossible. So much destruction in a mere moment. In the time that it took him to blink, a huge chunk of buildings had been destroyed and set on fire. The carnage was not just surprising, it was also disturbingly… familiar. He had barely even flinched. What he could see from the destruction below was not truly affecting him.

He could imagine the cries… _the stench of burning flesh. Death all around him. The village? No, before that. A mass of meat and eyes… the pleading cries of a child…_

He punched his chest with all his strength. His rattled ribs were protesting, but he had regained his senses with force.

"The children are in trouble." Caster said with an uncaring expression.

"!"

"Of course they were foolish enough to enter a battlefield of their own accord, so that is none of your concern."

"…" He glared at Caster. Those words were too pinpointed. She was trying to say something. Made a point of it.

"Berserker has made quite a mess, but he was successful at getting that chivalrous trio's full attention. Such mindboggling destruction cannot pass under their watch." She squinted her eyes a bit and smiled darkly.

"So what?" He could tell where this was going, but there were things he could never…

"What is your plan of action, I wonder?"

"I'm not-"

"You will not interfere? Because you promised me?" Caster took a step back and then closed the Astral Gate. Her eyes were moving across the sky that was covered in smoke clouds.

"That's…" He was about to give her lip-service again. His mouth already moved. Yet his voice never came out.

"Haha, you are more pathetic than even I could have imagined." Caster was giving him a derisive laugh. "I seem to quite like that part of you." A playful line like that seemed strangely out of place now. "Are you certain that you do not wish to go down there and help those poor people?"

"They don't concern me." Collingwood replied cold as ice. If this was a test, then he would not fail. He had steeled his heart.

"23 people died in that little spectacle just now." Caster said suddenly. "24. 25. 26…" She kept counting.

"Why… why are they still dying?" He pressed out. The initial explosion should have killed a certain amount of civilians, but the flames weren't actually spreading. They were supernatural.

"You are making a false assumption, Master." Caster stretched her arms and her wide black and purple skirt fluttered a little. "What is the cause of their deaths?"

She had replied with another question. It seemed very similar to his own, but there was a key difference. He had asked why they were dying, thinking of the limitation of the fire. But the very nature of what killed them was off.

What else could be causing people to drop like flies?

"….it can't be." Collingwood put a hand to his needles and grasped them tightly. "Soul Eater?"

Caster clapped in response to his correct guess.

"He is eating human souls at a nauseating speed." She said with a twist of her boots which made her spin in place nauseatingly as well.

Servants were spirits. They were souls. But most importantly, they were beings that were fueled by mana. Human souls were something that could be turned into exquisite energy. Each and every person in this city was a fuel battery if one looked at the situation morbidly enough. A Servant could very well devour a soul without much trouble. Humans were weak after all. Susceptible to the abyss.

"That means all those people were converted into strength." Maybe he should have been more disturbed by the proposition of being eaten alive and being turned into a mana battery. The only thing assailing his mind though was how much more powerful that monstrous Servant would get.

"That flashy Noble Phantasm must have taken a chunk out of his reserves. He needs to recharge fast. Regeneration of that level requires a great sustain as well."

"That healing factor?"

"Simple overcompensation via energy intake." She casually explained the horrific truth.

"He has been eating like this for a while."

"Missing person cases are so common these days. What a troublesome society." Caster said with a hand over her forehead.

"You… knew about this?" He said in a surprisingly accusing tone. The one surprised was himself. "Another of your 'hunches', huh?" The lack of a response was all the confirmation he needed. "Why didn't you say-"

"Shush." Caster put a finger over her lips and then threw a glowing ball of energy into the air. A moment later a painful 'squawk' could be heard. Then the silent night returned. "Spying on other people is improper little lass." She chuckled.

A familiar. Collingwood hadn't even gotten a chance to see it, but it was obvious from what Caster had said just now. Probably sent by the shrine maiden to find the Master of Berserker.

"She is going to come here for certain now that you shot down her tracker." He said with a glare.

"Is that not what you wished for?" Caster acted exaggeratedly surprised. "Another easy target."

"You are acting odd." The green-black fire in the distance flared up as a house crumbled and fell in on itself.

"Is that so? I had no idea you could tell the difference honestly." She shrugged cutely.

"I've had enough of your jokes and tricks. Tell me what you want from me… or I will _make_ you talk." He pulled off the glove from his left hand and showed her the blue glowing Command Seals. It was time. He was certain that they had reached a turning point. Caster was not staying passive anymore. He followed each of her playful motions.

"I will chalk that sudden antagonism up to a lack of tact on your side, Master. After all you ran from society oh-so-long ago and have lived as a hermit." She walked closer, despite his defensive stance. The Command Seals were dividing them like a wall. "I will talk." She put her small hand on his and then softly lowered it.

"…" His instinct was to pull it back up and kick her away. If he stooped to that level he might push her away permanently though. Right now there was a really urgent situation not far away… but he could not afford to turn away from _this_. Not this time.

"Good. Your self-control is admirable, if nothing else." She pulled him towards the railing and sat down on top of it again. "Do you know why I asked you to stick to reconnaissance today?"

"Because we made mistakes."

"Ahaha, I would like to be excluded from that accusation, but it is not entirely untrue." She moved her legs back and forth. "You are a walking contradiction Master."

"Where did that come from?" He growled and pulled out a cigarette.

"Why do you always put these into your mouth if you do not smoke?"

"Does it matter?" He sighed.

"In my time, there was a very popular substance that made the pain of people 'disappear'. It took away more than they had bargained for." She closed her eyes.

"Sounds the same as any drug."

"Indeed. The more the times change, the more they stay the same." She smiled. "These things will always exist to cope with our troubles. You simply skip the step of hurting your lungs for it."

She was right of course. He bit on this unappetizing stalk for no other reason than to calm his nerves. He always hated smoke. These cigarettes would never be lit… they shouldn't be.

He exhaled nothing but clear breath and tension.

"Cool and collected. Easily perplexed and scared." Caster hummed. "Yes, you are a contradiction of a human being."

"And you are an enigma with a pretty face." He replied subconsciously.

"Was that… a compliment? From you?" Caster for the first time in this conversation looked thrown off balance.

"I didn't mean anything by it…" He shot her down before she would tease him again.

"Ehehe." She was honestly happy for once. "There came some good of this cruel joke in the end."

He had no idea what she was on about now, but time was running thin. He glanced back at the fire.

"Master, do you wish to take the Grail at all costs?"

"Yes." He replied instantly.

" _Any_ cost at all?" Her voice became sharper.

"…yes." His reply became more delayed.

"Liar." Her casual voice from a moment ago was now cold and piercing. He backed away with a bad feeling. "You keep your distance, physically and mentally. A mysterious man has his own appeal, but you are simply cowering inside a hole like a scared badger in the winter." She pushed her finger into his chest. It was quite painful.

"I'm not afraid to fight." He shot back with more desperation than he intended.

"Ah, fighting it is then. You do not shirk putting your own body in harm's way. You desperately cling to live with all your being, yet you act the most suicidal of all." Her purple eyes had him cornered. "Your desire for victory far exceeds your survival instinct perhaps?"

"I only need to make the wish." Collingwood said resolutely.

"Even if I have to carry your nigh perished body to the chalice, nay?"

"You will get your own wish, so don't complain about your work." He replied with an edge in his voice.

"Is this where we stand? Partnership with a fool will end in a foolish death." She gave him a furious twisted smile. "You wish to win… but you do not wish to fight."

"Don't be stupid." Why was she doing this? She had to stop… "You just said it yourself, I'm… putting myself on the line."

" _Only_ yourself." This was the crux of it all. "Your mad attack on the man of the Church was suicidal. You forced yourself beyond your limit to fight him."

"That's not-"

"You have no concept of battle. Of taking a person's life."

"What the hell do you know?!" Collingwood shouted. "I killed many people before!"

"Intentionally?"

"It had to… be done…" He held his head in pain.

"You are a dull blade covered in chips and scratches. You did not have the fortitude to kill that boy."

"There is no need for bloodshed when it can be avoided." He replied right away.

"Why did you stop the ritual right before you could take his Seals away then? Surely, that is a bloodless end."

"I… had no time. Archer was aiming at me…"

"That hawkeyed soldier was ordered to stand down. You had the opportunity, I saw it with my own eyes. The way you lowered your hand."

"I might as well have killed him then! Defenseless and weak, wouldn't have lasted the night… I can take him. Senseless to risk it-"

"Is it senseless? _Absolute_ victory requires _absolute_ means."

His mind was turning numb. "They are just children…"

"They are Masters."

"We don't need to kill everyone-"

"You could not even kill a single person." Caster shut him down. With a single push of her hand he was forced against the door of the rooftop entrance. "The contradiction that consumes you is your desire to win at all costs and yet not sacrifice a single thing for that goal. Except yourself."

Her cold smile was terrifying in its own way.

"You just went along with any suicidal tasked I asked of you. Not once did you complain when you were pushed into danger. Even my 'test' at the old mine, which could have cost you your life, you just adapted to the situation and accepted it."

"All of those times were part of your scheme?" It made too much sense. The Derickson case was obvious, but even their meeting with Rider and her Master seemed too convenient. Caster was not careless enough to let them sneak up on her.

"You are not as clueless as you pretend to be. I am aware that you knew this all along."

Just like her hunches… It was true. He had suspected her all along. She was testing how far he would go. What he would do to achieve his goals. Even if he knew deep down, he simply didn't have a reason to acknowledge…

His back slid down against the door until he sat on the rooftop.

"Is it misled kindness? I would bet my last Tarot card that is not the case." She huffed. "A futile attempt to avoid this discussion, would you not say? Your entire being only wishes to push me away."

She was smaller than him, certainly, a frail existence from the looks of it. Her short lilac hair was flowing inside the breeze that carried traces of smoke and starlight. Her striped knee high sock peeked out from her boot that was now pressing on his chest. The girl with a sense of humor and a mysterious personality was now towering above him, no smile or joke on her lips. The ribbons were not flowing as if in a dream anymore.

"Be true to yourself Master."

"True to myself?" He snorted disparagingly. A meaningless sentiment. He was who he had to be. That was the price of this life he had been granted. That was what he had always lived for. There was no room to be himself. Whoever that was.

If he could fulfill his only selfish wish… perhaps the world would change.

"Stop cowering behind the mask of the callous magus."

The only obstacle right now was this one impertinent girl!

"I never asked you-!" He raised his arm up and summoned the force of the Command Seal. She had gone too far. Now he would finally make her obey _like the tool she was_!

"I will not bow to a fool who does not know who he is. I will not be part of your contradiction!"

His hand was grasped by two smaller ones.

"I am Servant Caster. I serve everyone, but I bow to none." Her deep purple eyes met his. For once he could not escape their powerful pull. If she had Mystic Eyes this would probably be what it felt like to fall under their spell. "I will serve even a fool like you." She said softly. "I ask only that you confide in me. Let me be your guide. Your navigator across the stars."

The heat evaporated form his mind. He could not even tell why he had been so worked up.

Was she just a tool? Perhaps.

But was she not also his _only_ ally?

The reason why he had always been afraid to face her was obvious, even to him. Never again. Anyone that was close to him would eventually die. It was inevitable.

"Master?"

She was right. He was afraid to take any more lives. Was it wrong to admit that?

"Are you ignoring me purposely?"

If he trusted her. If he finally trusted someone again.

Could he make it? Would it not drag him down at the final stretch?

"If you look at me that way for much longer I will start to feel creeped out."

"Shut up." He said with a thin smile.

"There he is. My always dismissive Master." She shrugged sarcastically and pulled her foot off him. "I hope you appreciate my efforts, because it is a daunting task not to let my fist converse with your carefree face instead of talking sense into you."

Carefree? He touched his face instinctively. It wasn't tense anymore.

"I'm sorry." He said with some effort.

"An apology? You truly learned nothing." She shook her head with one of her standard smiles. "What will be our next move?"

"Well… what do _you_ think we should do?" He asked. Strained composure was making his face twitchy.

"…" She stared at him perplexed. Then she hastily adjusted her face. "O-of course that depends on your goals, Master."

"I owe that shrine maiden a favor." Collingwood crossed his arms. "And whoever that Berserker's Master is needs a stern reminder of the rules. Involving civilians and relying on Soul Eater is unacceptable." He must have sounded like one of the Association's agents now.

"Which has priority?" She asked while already summoning the cards to her hands.

Collingwood looked at the inferno in front of him.

"The psychopath who lets this thing run free." He said with determination.

"I have observed many a thing tonight, so I believe our reconnaissance was a huge success."

"Such as?"

"I will tell you later. After we have taken care of your new target."

The Collingwood from until now would just leave it at that. He had never tried to go further than a surface question. Caster was separate from him as far as he had been concerned. If he saw her as an equal, a partner, then he would have to seriously question her about all those things she knew later.

"They must be close to the battlefield. Controlling a Berserker is tough."

"I have a different theory." Caster replied with a knowing smirk.

"Where?" He moved next to her and prepared for the jump.

"That skyscraper over there. She has been watching from afar for a while."

"That high up? How does she follow what's going on?" He could hardly believe that.

"There are not awfully many ominous women on top of skyscrapers around this time of night." Caster pointed out. "She is not hiding at all."

"Wait! It's probably a trap."

"Ah, your famous survival instinct told you that?"

"I'm serious. We need to sneak up on her. Can you do that?"

"Excuse you? There is nothing that cannot be done if I put my mind to it~" She pushed the cards into a star pattern and the Astral Gate opened. "I refer to this one as the 'backdoor'."

"Why do you-?" He was already kicked through the portal before he could finish his sentence. He fell over and crashed into a metal wall. After readjusting his body and feeling his way across the rusty handle, he realized that it was a door. "You were being literal." He groaned.

"Psshht." Caster put a finger to her mouth again. With a hand sign she created a small bounded field around them. "This is only going to block out sounds to a certain degree. Whatever you do, try not sneeze."

Collingwood ignored her and opened the door just gap. The wind rushed in from the rooftop and shook his hair. Beyond the slit he saw only the skyline. He waved Caster to follow him. He had to learn how to sneak inside the jungles of Peru, but a magus was always capable of perceiving another one if they closed in on each other.

"I feel nothing." Collingwood mumbled.

"Quiet." Caster pushed a hand over his mouth and then pushed him down against the ground.

"Mrrrhm!"

"I swear upon the great wizard's beard, if you do not quiet down I will allow her to actually see you." Caster did not sound amused.

He now noticed that she had put a light reflecting barrier over them. A rudimentary from of invisibility. For good reason too. Right beyond the door he could suddenly see the black clad figure of a woman.

So this was Berserker's Master (allegedly). She hadn't noticed them yet. First they would have to check for traps. She seemed to be busy reading a book?

"Nice to finally meet you." Her serene voice was making his ears perk up.

They had been discovered?!

"You… you are the one who let the monster attack the city?" A shaking voice came from the opposite side of the roof. There stood the girl he had seen only once before. An ebony haired girl with the aura of a strong willed hero. Clad in the outfit of a miko.

"That is mostly accurate, I suppose." The raven haired woman answered. "Is that an issue Yukimura Koyuki-chan?" She turned her way and gave her a curious smile.

"No way." Collingwood's eyes widened.

It was _her?_


	31. The Philosopher

**It's as I always say: No reviews means no complaints.**

* * *

 **The Philosopher**

* * *

The fire engulfed the entire interior of the building, licking across the furniture and ceilings. For some reason it didn't seem to burn anything it touched directly.

Shigechiyo covered his mouth to prevent inhaling the smoke, but the air was pretty clear. It seemed the further Berserker went inside, the less the flames affected the world. In fact if he looked back he could see that the original center of the flaming pillar had stopped burning altogether. It must have been a Noble Phantasm with a limited range.

It didn't matter much though, as there were no people inside the house that could have been affected by the fire anymore. The holes in the walls showed a straight path of destruction left behind by the giant monster. As Shige kept running after them he noticed the destroyed wood on the staircase and followed it up into the next floor. When he reached the end of the hallway he saw the busted window.

Rushing over, he could see the crater of where Berserker had landed. For such a huge guy he was incredibly agile and swift. Nothing seemed to stop him. He ignored the streets or conventional paths and just bulldozed through every building in his way. Where was he headed?

Shige was in a bind, but he then hopped over the broken window frame and climbed down the building's façade. He had not much time, so he skipped the entire first floor by jumping straight on top of a car parked outside. He could feel the sting in his feet from the rough impact.

He kept running like a madman, but what was he going to do once he caught up? Why had he decided to follow Rider-san instead of Koyuki? He clenched his fists and pushed open an unhinged door. He now stood in the middle of a side-alley. There was nothing here except old trashcans and dirty puddles from the broken water hose that was leading to the small back garden.

Something wasn't right. Berserker had been heading in a straight line, no matter what was in his way, but the walls in front of him were untouched. So he must have followed the alley instead. That direction was…

"No way…" He felt cold sweat run down his back. That was the direction of Jinya. After reading the street sign he was certain. They were really close to a huge plaza.

His legs sprinted with all their might. If that monster made it to a crowd of a people… He didn't even want to imagine the carnage!

Shige just turned the corner when suddenly a strong arm hit him in the chest and made him break his run hard. He gasped for air and held his chest in pain, before looking up to see who had stopped him.

"Archer-san!"

"My apologies Shigechiyo-sama. This is a dangerous situation, I cannot allow you to go any further."

Shige looked into Archer's determined eyes and knew he had no chance of passing him.

"What about Rider-san?" He asked in a low voice.

"She told me to intercept you so you would not get hurt." He explained with a sympathetic look.

Again, he was put to the sidelines. It was the correct choice, but how could he just stand back and wait. More importantly he had not followed them just to keep watching!

"You need to listen to me Archer-san! Yukimura-san ran off on her own! She is trying to find the Master of that crazy monster and stop them by herself!"

"I feared as much." Archer looked back with a grim expression.

"You need to help her. I can't do anything… I'm no fighter or mage. That's why I came to tell you… _please save her_!" He grabbed on to Archer's garments and begged with a desperate expression.

Archer didn't betray his thoughts with his long silent gaze, but eventually he nodded.

"You made the right choice." He put a hand on Shige's shoulder. "I will return as swiftly as I can. Rider will not be able to hold out on her own for long."

Shige looked past Archer with concern.

"Please consider this, young Master. If you interfere with her battle she will have to protect one more person. That could be her downfall, which you so desperately wish to prevent."

"…." Shige bit his lower lip and nodded.

He took his hand off Shige and then disappeared.

"I know that… I already knew that!" He hit the hard brick wall next to him. The sting accompanied by his red blood dripping from his fingers was barely reaching his brain.

What was he going to do? What could he do?

He clutched his chest and felt the small protrusion inside the pocket.

* * *

Koyuki looked at the tall office building in front of her and gathered her spiritual energy. When she had arrived she had picked up a burnt Shikigami paper. Sora had been attacked by someone. The last location that had been transmitted to her was right here. Meaning that the enemy was up there!

All those souls that had vanished in a mere instant still haunted her. She had never felt anything like it before. When an evil spirit attacked a shrine and sucked out the soul of the priestess she had met that day she had thought that was the most horrible thing she would ever see. But now…

"I will stop your evil deeds." She said with shaking hands. "Sora, please listen to me. Lend me your strength one more time." She whispered to the burnt paper between her fingers.

It moved slightly. The symbols on top of it started to reshape. A Shikigami did not need to take form to execute certain abilities. Sora was a wind spirit, so she could summon the winds at will. Koyuki needed to feed her lots of her energy, but she would be able to carry them up there.

It was a harsh exchange. If her spiritual energy was too exhausted to summon her back-up, Kiba, she would be almost defenseless. An Onmyouji without a Shikigami was only half as effective. And her mantras might not even affect humans that much. She had never used her powers against people before. It was a huge crime for her clan.

She had decided that day she left Kyoto. To find her brother and to act like the heroes she admired, she would have to give up on those rules tying her down. The teachings that her mother had grinded into her very soul… she would have to cover them and look away today.

If she let this death incarnate continue to harm people, she could not live with herself. There were things that could be done only with rules and things that required breaking them.

"Sora! Zen-!"

"Koyuki-sama, wait."

Koyuki stopped her incantation and looked back in shock. Archer-dono was right behind her, softly pushing down her arm. His kind face made her feel a strange sense of relief.

"W-why are you here? You have to help Rider-dono to stop Berserker." She tried to stay strong and scold him, even though that was the last thing she ever wanted.

"You are my greatest concern, always." Archer said with a serious expression. "I shall lend you my power to reach your goals. I will even return to that battlefield if you order me now."

She looked up to him with furrowed brows and a defeated smile.

"I'm sorry. You are much smarter than me. I should listen to your advice instead."

"Do not belittle yourself. Your courage to save those around you makes me proud of serving you. A war ended on the bodies of the people is a war without a winner."

"Then… Please help me get to that Master!" She pointed up to the building in front of them.

"If I may be so impertinent, I have a different location in mind." Archer said as he scratched he lightly pulled on his goatee. "There is someone that has been following our actions for a while." He looked into the distance all the way up to a skyscraper.

"Up there? How is that possible?" Koyuki was surprised.

"That is a good question. My eyes allow me to see across great distances, but this human, she has returned my stare." His voice was filled with concern.

"She returned your look from all this way…" Koyuki was certain now. That woman had to be special.

"I could take her out from a distance." Archer suggested.

"No, I need to talk to her. Maybe we can stop her peacefully." She knew it was naïve to say something like this. Perhaps it was already too late to forgive the enemy Master. If they took her out right away it would all be over.

But something in her heart stirred. She needed to know. This craving was unstoppable.

"It will take only a short moment. If I may." Archer grabbed Koyuki by the waist and then jumped off. In seconds they were already far above street level and scaling the skyscraper!

They rushed across windows and their reflection turned into a blur. Koyuki saw the city from high above with a completely different light. There was a certain beauty to those every winding streets and concrete towers…

They landed on top of the roof. Archer tenderly sat her down and then stepped in front of her, protectively. Koyuki put a hand to his side and moved ahead. He relented quietly.

There she sat, completely defenseless. A woman with long black hair and pale skin. Koyuki could not see her face from this angle, but she did notice the red book in her hands. She had been calmly observing their struggles while reading up here.

She opened her mouth to speak up, but the woman seemed to have predicted it and acted faster.

"Nice to finally meet you." Her serene voice was befitting of her appearance.

"You… you are the one who let the monster attack the city?" Her heart pumped faster. She had not expected to be greeted so politely. Did she know her?

"That is mostly accurate, I suppose." She answered and turned her head towards them. "Is that an issue Yukimura Koyuki-chan?" Light blue eyes, shining like translucent jewels in the night were focused upon her.

"Y-you know my name?" Koyuki was taken aback and felt her throat turn dry. She did not recognize her. Did she visit the temple in Kyoto once? How did she-?

"Of course, of course. I know everyone's names. It would be hard to observe this story without such basic knowledge." She replied with a curious smile.

"Story?"

"Ah, don't worry about it." She was leaning her head on one hand and smiled.

"Who… who are you?" Koyuki had a hard time staying angry when seeing such a beautiful woman act so calm.

"Oh, where are my manners? I should introduce myself as well. It's only fair." She pulled up one leg and leaned her chin on it. "My name is Naoka Ootori. You can call me Naoka if you would like, Koyuki-chan."

No sense of danger despite Archer standing right behind Koyuki. No fear in her deep eyes. No hint of evil in her words.

Naoka Ootori, an enigma.

"Why are you doing this?" Koyuki felt a mix of anger and sadness inside her chest. She wanted to hate this villain in front of her, but her heart told her she was not evil. "Why would you order Berserker to attack people? All of that destruction – is that just a game to you?!"

Naoka put a hand to her hair strands and pushed them back over her ear. Then she looked back towards the battlefield with a pondering expression.

"Would you believe me if I said that this has nothing to do with me?"

"Never! You admitted yourself that this is your doing!" She could not accept such a huge contradiction.

"Hm, true enough. That is certainly what it would look like to an outsider I suppose." She nodded as if she had just solved a complex equation.

"People are dying out there, because of _you_." Koyuki emphasized with as much force as she could muster.

"I would disagree. I have no business with any of those people. I did not order **Thanatos** to do anything to them either. That's just the way it transpired." She put the red book to her mouth and stared off into the distance.

"Wh-what?!" She could barely believe her ears. She was completely shifting the blame on her Servant.

"Thanatos?" Archer opened his mouth for the first time since they arrived. "The Greek god of death?"

"Right, right. I haven't greeted you yet, Yue Fei. I'm such a scatterbrain. I very much enjoyed your poetry, if that is any consolation. Very clean."

Koyuki and Archer watched her in a mix of bafflement and disbelief. She had casually dropped the identity of her Servant and knew Archer's as well. Who _was_ she?

"Now your hypothesis that the action of a Servant relates to their Master is inherently right, but I would like to point out that Thanatos is acting on his own completely. I have given him free reign. It simply is in his nature to despise humanity. Once upon a time he was a lawful god who did his job well. After he was humiliated by Sisyphus he changed." She flipped open a page of the book and spoke solemnly. "Death once was neutral and painless, but upon the hatred of man seeping into the nature of all, Thanatos coming was announced by pain and suffering."

"Why are you telling us this?"

"Is it not fascinating? The gods are just as flawed as humans in the end. Could it be that this is a reflection of our own actions or were we a reflection of their flawed nature?" She was philosophizing quietly.

"I don't… I don't care why he does it, you have to stop him!" Koyuki pleaded.

"Interfere with his nature? His will? That would be far too cruel." Naoka replied with a dismissive look. "I chained him to me, but I gave my word that he would be allowed to run free every second night. Until the break of dawn I will not raise my hand."

"How could you do something so irresponsible?" Koyuki could not understand her mind.

"How about you Koyuki-chan? Do you force your will on the _Prince of E_ behind you?" She asked calmly.

"I would never-" She immediately rejected the idea, but that left her speechless. She understood now. Naoka was not lying. She acted the same as Koyuki. She let Berserker make his own decisions and gave him the freedom of a person. To her, Thanatos was not a tool. He was an individual that had his own desires.

"How do you hope to win this war with a soldier that does not obey or cooperate?" Archer asked with his hands in his long sleeves.

"Winning is secondary. I prefer observing." Naoka shrugged and returned to her book.

"I fear we cannot let this stand. Not for the sake of your curiosity or that death god's freedom." Archer spoke with a heavy voice. "I am aware you have not hardened your heart Koyuki-sama. You could not harm someone who has no ill will. Let me take that decision from you then." He drew an arrow from his sleeves and then put it on the bow that appeared inside his hand.

"Noble as expected, General." Naoka smiled. "It would be unpleasant to go out this early, so I want you to reconsider your next action." She chuckled. Then she raised a finger and cocked her head to the side. "Killing me will not stop Thanatos."

"Why not?" Koyuki was confused.

"He has absorbed many souls already. He will be able to sustain himself indefinitely as long as he devours humans." She shook her head. "It is a meaningless existence, but he will never stop. Ending the lives of as many humans as possible would be just in his interest after all."

"…" Archer kept aiming his arrow at her.

"You will be able to slay him eventually, no doubt, but how many lives will it cost? If I die he will not return at the edge of dawn."

"…then order him to stop."

"I see. Not a bad bargain for my life. One Command Seal for my continued part in this play." She cupped her chin with one hand. "I have to refuse anyway. I have no interest in these." She held up her blue Command Seals that were forming an eye on her left hand. "But breaking a promise is very bad manners. I would rather avoid it."

"Bad manners?" Archer was losing his stoic expression. For the first time he showed genuine dislike for someone. "You do not value anybody but yourself it seems."

"Is that not what a human is supposed to be? A creature that can only know itself?" Naoka replied serenely. "I like observing how the world works. How every person ticks. I can see your righteous anger. It is noble, as I said." She looked Archer in the eyes without fear. "But you will not reach your dream if you do not abandon something."

"Silence." Archer squinted his eyes.

"W-we can still force you to use them!" Koyuki pulled out her paper seals and stilled her arms. She only focused on the mantras inside her head. Repeating them endlessly was enough to numb her emotions.

"Forceful persuasion? Torture? Mind control? Fascinating. You would go so very far for strangers. The Yukimura clan was always benevolent. You piqued my interest Koyuki-chan." Naoka looked at her as if she was a cute animal in a zoo.

"I will do it." Koyuki was serious.

"As interesting of an experience as that would be, it would take too long." Naoka looked at her watch. "You have three hours until dawn. Even if you were able to break my mind in that time, I would assume you prefer to save your allies." She explained completely detached from the issue. As if she was talking about someone else's problem.

"What do you mean?"

"Koyuki-sama, she is correct." Archer said with a defeated expression. His sharp eyes could see several kilometers ahead. All the way to the place where Berserker was fighting Rider. "If we do not head back we will lose Rider and Shigechiyo-sama."

Koyuki understood. They had left those two behind to take out the Master, because they knew that it was impossible to stop Berserker conventionally. Not if they wanted to protect the civilians at the same time. If she interpreted Archer's words right, their friends were cornered and in danger.

Naoka was right in front of them, defenseless. Yet her greatest defense was that she was not with her Servant.

The decision was right in front of them. Go back to support their allies or take down the enemy Master, even if it would mean not stopping Berserker right away.

"I had not expected to be so popular. The audience should not interact with the actors too much. Hm, no, this would be more akin to watching an experiment through a looking glass. Outward stimuli do have their advantages."

"You are mad." Koyuki said with shaking lips. No matter what she chose, more people would die. Yet all this woman could think of was how to classify her involvement.

"That hurts a little. Madness is the absence of reason. I do follow reason very closely, you see. I even lifted the Mad Enhancement on Thanatos so he could think for himself. Sadly he is not one for conversation."

"Koyuki-sama." Archer pulled her out of her overflowing emotions. He was a strong presence that supported her. If she anchored to this calm rock inside the stormy sea, she would be able to keep going.

"If we split up-"

"I am sorry, but that would be too dangerous." Archer whispered so that Naoka couldn't hear. "That woman is not just well informed. She has no openings."

Archer was a master martial artist. If he said that someone had no openings then it was true. Which meant that Naoka was extremely skilled. She was also a magus, so there was no telling what other tricks she had up her sleeve. There must have been a reason she was so calm when faced with deadly foes.

"Mhm, General Fei is right. Your chances of defeating me on your own are below 3%." Naoka suddenly added her estimation to their conversation. She raised a brow when she saw their perplexed expressions. "I apologize, was that a private conversation? I do tend to listen in on people too easily." She chuckled. "I will stay out of your planning then."

"You are right… I do not think I can do anything to her." Koyuki admitted. Someone so far beyond her comprehension was untouchable. "We need to help Sano-senpai."

In the end that was the only viable decision. In her heart she knew that was the right choice. Revenge or lashing out on Naoka would have served no one but the twisted emotions she felt in despair.

"It seems we are done here. You can take your turn now Isao-kun." Naoka said with a glance at the empty half of the rooftop.

They followed her gaze and in the next moment their vision shifted. As if reality itself was bent the nothingness took form. Its shape became that of a tall man and a teenage girl.

The man looked surprised.

"She cancelled my cloaking spell." The girl said with some amazement. Her frilly dress was fluttering in the night air, alongside her overly long ribbons.

"That's _Isaac_ Collingwood to you." The man said with a tough expression.

"Caster." Archer didn't seem as surprised as the rest of them.

" _Prince of E_. Fancy meeting you here." Caster bowed ever so slightly and smiled.

They had been here the entire time? Koyuki's head was spinning. Their enemies just multiplied. Now they knew Archer's identity too.

That man… she had seen him only from a distance before. He was the one who held Sano-senpai hostage. Now that they were up close she felt it even more strongly. His aura was familiar. Despite being in such a bad situation, she felt strangely safe. She shook her head to get rid of this feeling.

"Sorry, I was never a fan of pen names." Naoka replied to the man that she had called 'Isao'. "You will have to bear with my quirks, Isao-kun."

Did they know each other? In that case they might team up. Koyuki had to remind herself of the danger they were in. She took a step backwards to the edge of the roof.

"You are still here Koyuki-chan? If you don't hurry your allies will die." Naoka raised a brow and tapped her watch.

"Do not mind us." Caster waved her hand casually.

Koyuki looked at the man calling himself Collingwood. He evaded her eyes and kept looking only at Naoka.

"I won't stop you." He said quietly. It must have been directed at her.

Whoever he was… she wanted to trust him.

"Archer-dono!" She jumped down the roof. He reacted before the last syllable left her mouth and grabbed her mid-fall. The street was rushing towards them and soon they moved in the horizontal again.

Maybe this was the wrong choice as a Master, but she wanted to save her friends!

* * *

Collingwood watched the young shrine maiden fall down the roof and then getting caught by her tall Servant with an unreadable expression. He could not bear to look at her before, but from a distance… she was really just an innocent young girl.

"It is rude to ignore people, or so I was told many times back in my University." Naoka said without any sign of being offended.

Naoka Ootori. Was it really her? He vaguely remembered her. On that night he had fled the Clock Tower. They had met. If she had stopped him back then, maybe he would not be here.

Why was she in the Holy Grail War? Why was she a Master?

After listening to her conversation with the Yukimura girl, he could tell that she knew way more than anybody else he had met until now, except maybe Ryouko Tohsaka. He knew almost nothing about Ootori, but something in the back of his mind was ringing the alarm bells. What had he forgotten?

"Will you also ask me to stop Thanatos, Isao-kun?" The raven haired woman asked with a smirk.

"Stop it…" He felt anger rise in him. She kept calling him by that name.

"So very twisted." She was putting the book down and faced him. "I must say, watching you has been the most intriguing in this war thus far." She praised him with a genuine look.

"How do you keep track of everyone?" He replied coldly.

"I simply observe."

"Don't dodge the question."

"Did I do that?"

"Why could I not sense you?"

"Not all magi are the same."

"Meaning?"

"My family is different in many ways." Naoka put a finger to her head. "You are full of questions. That is commendable. But you are not here to hold a conversation or _are you_? You like to observe as well, so I thought perhaps we could exchange some stories."

She was playing with him. She was playing with _everyone_. He knew her kind. Those that were dislodged from society and any bonds. A loner like him, but one who enjoyed to stay as part of the audience.

He felt frustrated talking to her and yet…

Weren't they kindred spirits?

"I would be interested to hear how you were faring after you ran from the Association that night. Isao Collingwood, the hermit. You have become rather famous in some circles." She was mustering him like he was a specimen under the microscope.

"Should I leave you two alone for a while Master? Perhaps you'd like to catch up with your old friend?" Caster asked sarcastically and hopped back.

"What is your true gain in this? If you don't care about winning, you hope to get something else out of it." Collingwood didn't budge. Even if both of them acted like this wasn't a big deal, he knew why he was here. The question remained, what was her reason?

"Knowledge." She replied without a hint of irony.

"You can't be serious." He replied with a twisted smile.

"Is it so strange a reason? I wish to know more. Watching all these people is fascinating beyond compare."

"Your wish for the Grail… don't tell me it's to reach _**the Root**_?"

"How did you know?" She asked with a happy smile.

Collingwood… laughed. He laughed without any restraint.

It was not a joke, but it still seemed funny to him. Every single magus in the world wanted to reach the Root. Akasha. The place where all information of the past, present and future was stored. Infinite knowledge about everything. Wisdom and knowledge were power, resources in the world of magi. Gaining knowledge from research, from rituals, from conflict and strife. That was how they had existed for thousands of years.

Indeed, the omnipotent chalice, the 'Holy Grail', was nothing more than a connection to the Root. By being victorious and touching the Root, a magus could fulfill any one wish. That was the objective reality of what the Grail was. It did grant wishes by relying on the mana fed to it and the contact with the Root itself.

Perhaps this was what the Einzberns originally envisioned when they made the first Grail in Fuyuki. To reach the infinite well of knowledge and comprehend everything.

Humans were selfish creatures. Nobody could resist the power of such a promise. Any _one_ wish. Knowledge was power, but why not wish for power directly? Knowing the future was impressive, but why not _alter_ it?

All noble causes become corrupt eventually. The innocent wish for knowledge for the sake of itself could not exist.

Naoka Ootori was a child. Someone who had never lost the innocence of a young kid that believed in pure miracles. That was what this answer told him.

"If the Grail is summoned and the Root is accessed, you will be satisfied?" He asked while still trying to suppress his snorts.

"Exactly." She did not show any negative reaction to his outburst. She watched him intently though. "You think I have no ambition."

"No, I believe you are the perfect magus." Collingwood replied with a weak smile. "Mind separate from matter and a thirst for knowledge above all else."

"Praise from the disillusioned Hermit? I am honored."

"But the Association will not support something like that." He added.

"Oh?"

"Those bastards at the top have forgotten what it means to be a proper magus long ago. They are power hungry and desire control above all else."

"So you suggest that the greatest gathering of magi across the world has lost their founding purpose?" She asked with interest.

"Knowledge at all costs can be dangerous. _You_ are dangerous." He said with his hands in his jacket pockets. " _ **Philosopher.**_ "

"Ah. So you think so too. I had hoped you would have an open mind as someone who has seen the world from many perspectives." She closed her eyes and took in the night breeze.

"The girl… Yukimura. She was right. You are responsible for your Servant's actions. Even if we are equal to them, as our partners." He felt Caster's eyes on his back. "We summoned them into this world. It was our greed that tied us to them. If you don't face that, then you are just as much of a monster as the guy killing people down there."

"Haha, you are very candid. I appreciate it." She clapped her book shut and put it into her tight black leather jacket's chest pocket. "Do you think the same?" She suddenly addressed Caster.

"Why ever would you ask me? I am simply someone else's responsibility." Caster replied with a smirk.

"You know I didn't mean it that way." Collingwood said with a sigh. "Don't tell me you agree with her?"

"We all make our own choices. I can give you advice and tell you what would be best for you, but the decision is your own. The same goes for me as well." She replied.

"Hm, choice above anything else. Say, do you believe in _fate_?" Naoka interrupted their exchange.

"What has that to do with anything?" Collingwood turned exasperated.

"…" Caster went silent. She suddenly lost her previous playfulness and turned away.

"No matter which choices you make, are they not already predestined? There are countless alternate realities, but you live in only one of them. If the world is finite, so is knowledge. I am very interested in this… fate." Naoka said longingly. Her hands made a rectangle and she watched the city through it.

"Isn't that why people want the Grail so badly? To change fate?" Collingwood replied against his own expectations.

Naoka stared at him for a good while.

"Can fate be changed? Is that not why it is 'fate'?" She replied seriously.

"I want to believe I can create my own fate." He replied and his brown eyes showed a rare shine.

"So that is your answer. _He_ would be disappointed." Naoka said with an empathetic smile. "I do not dislike that way of thinking though."

"Who is he?" He raised a brow.

"I am certain if fate exists, you two will meet. For now I need to continue my observations. We should have another talk soon."

"You think we'll let you get away?"

"Do you wish to stop me?" She seemed surprised.

"I owe those kids one, so I should take you down when they can't. Alternatively you could call back your death hound." He pulled out his needles and pointed them at her.

"Aren't you forcing yourself a bit there, Isao-kun? Is this the way you wish to repay favors?"

He scowled. She got him. He still owed her as well for letting him escape back then. He was at an impasse.

"I did nothing special, so I would not hold it against you if you continued." She got up and put a hand to his shoulder. "As selfish as it may be, I would like to observe you some more before you _die_ though."

He immediately twisted his shoulder out of her grip and stabbed forward.

The next moment his arm was twisted behind his back and her mouth was at his ear.

"You will have to decide eventually. Which fate do you want to protect and which do you need to destroy?" She swiped his legs away and then pushed him against the edge of the rooftop. The next moment she jumped down next to him and disappeared into the abyss below!

He rolled around to look down, but she was gone already. He could not sense her prana anywhere. She was completely invisible to him somehow.

"Thanks for the help." He said frustrated.

"She would not have harmed you. That woman is a strict observer."

"I still would have liked to stop her."

"Really? It appeared to me that you were getting along quite well." She replied as she squatted down next to him and watched the street far below. "It is still a bit until dawn. If she did not lie, that hound of Olympus will continue his rampage only until sunlight touches him."

"Are you saying we can let this slide?"

"I like this new Master that listens to me." She said with a teasing grin. "It is your choice however."

"If we rushed over there now…" He contemplated it for a moment. "We would only get in the way."

"I agree."

' _Is this the way you wish to repay favors?'_

Her words stuck with him. Was this not his part? She knew everything that was going on, so did she imply that he had a better role to play?

"If you look any more worried, I will have to change my mind." Caster suddenly said. "Very well, let us follow them so you can make certain that your benefactor does not find her end today."

"Thanks."

"I'm doing this for myself as well. That brave girl of faith reminds me of an old friend."

With those mysterious words she created a new portal.


	32. To Protect

**I was simply joking last time. Me and my big mouth.  
**

* * *

 **To Protect**

* * *

He had reached the backstreet right across the plaza. Just one corner away he could hear dozens of people walking and chatting. This was the ultimate line. The final barrier towards a cruel fate.

Shige caught his breath, sweating all over and watched the fight unfolding in front of him. He had found Rider-san.

" _GRRAAAAH_!" Berserker roared as he brought his black sword down on her.

Rider's small shield deflected the giant weapon of death. She was backing away to avoid getting hit by the phasing sword attack, then she rammed Berserker with her full body weight, moving him back a bit. Each time the giant swung his blade, she kept blocking and avoiding. Her right arm was moving uncontrolled through the air, lifeless.

Shige bit his lip. Even a amateur like him could see that it was hopeless. Rider-san was completely on the defensive. All she did was stall the monster. Her fighting style was completely different from when she faced Lancer.

Black chains spawned out of the shadows behind Rider, but her shield's glow vaporized them once more. The glow seemed weaker than before…

"Ngh." She grunted as she was hit by Berserker's crushing fist. A direct hit to her armor, but the black Servant was not bursting away like Lancer did before. She slid back a few meters, but her metal boots managed to find hold in the pavement this time.

Berserker's armor was pristine. His previously inflicted wounds were gone. No trace of damage was left. He survived getting his heart impaled! How could one defeat a monster like this?

The bulging muscles contracted as Berserker swiped his curved sword across the street and sent debris flying Rider's way. That was a rather smart move for a mindless creature. Her vision was impaired, so she could barely dodge the headbutt that was aiming to crush her skull. The giant's muzzle strafed her shoulder and made her fall back.

She was pinned down by a scorched sandal-boot in a second.

"NO!" Shige cried out. Rider-san was done for. She had no way to resist so much force. If he didn't do something… if he didn't move his shaking legs-!

"Shige…?" Rider noticed him with one squinted eye, her entire strength focused on pushing the foot off her at the same time. Those blue eyes were showing worry, not for herself, but for him.

Black chains were wrapping around her resisting left arm and pulled it back until it almost cracked. Her throat was choked by the giant's hand. His stinking breath was so close that he eyes were watering.

Her heart stopped as Berserker raised his sword. He would cut her straight in half. And yet all she could do was look at Shige in fear... for his safety.

"R…u….n…." She moved her lips, but sounds barely escaped.

It was just as Archer-san had said. His presence had distracted her. But this situation couldn't get worse anyway! Whether he had been here or not, Rider-san had never stood a chance.

Somehow, in an inexplicable moment of clarity, he could feel her feelings, read her heart. Her last moments were shaped by her feeling of regret. To fail the people of this city… to fail Shige... To fail the one she had wished to save the most… In the end, nothing she ever did had meaning.

His heart broke.

" _Get off of her!"_ He yelled and charged at Berserker! His puny fist hit the monster against the thick arm. With heated fists he wailed on the sword-arm.

Berserker was silent. He watched the nuisance for a moment, with this dark fallen in eyes. Then he swiped him aside, like an insect. Shige was hit so hard that he flew straight into a dumpster standing at the wayside. He coughed up blood. Such a minor gesture had completely and utterly knocked the breath and strength out of him.

How had Rider-san been able to take this many hits? She truly was amazing…

His shell-shocked mind was like a muddy lake. He could not think straight. His eyes were blurry. Where these tears? For whom? Himself? Self-loathing spread throughout his body and mind. Pathetic. Pathetic. PATHETIC!

She was the light. She was the one who protected him. He should have accepted this already. There was nothing a mere human could do to save an angel. Because Shige had no power.

He stretched forth his bleeding hand. Inside the tunnel vision he could only see the golden hair of Rider as it was spread across the street. Like a hundred shining strings. In his blacking out vision there was something else. Blue. Shining blue. Not unlike her beautiful eyes.

"Survive…" He muttered with blood trickling down his mouth.

Again.

"Survive."

AGAIN.

" **Survive!"**

He shouted. It was so loud that it even surprised himself. There was an echo to it. Something beyond a simple human's words, laced with powerful magic.

The blue Command Seals on his hand were shining blindingly. The form of a sapling had been engraved into his hand, but now the first leaf was vanishing. And with its clean shape disappearing, something else came into existence.

Power. Unyielding. Unbridled.

The dark sword went down on Rider, cutting her body viscerally in half.

Or so it should have been. The blade had stopped. Two fingers were wrapped around the rigged edge. Rider's arm was not shaking. It was slowly pushing the blade back. Berserker growled as the phasing was undone. Somehow she had grasped beyond the physical realm!

With strength that belied anything she had ever shown before Rider moved her torso up, while the foot was still on top of her. The chains trying to choke her burst off, just like the one that had held down her arm.

Silver eyes penetrated the darkness of the monster that was now being forced back.

" _GROOOOAAARRRGH!"_ Berserker could not free his sword from her grasp. He tried to stomp her, but his foot didn't even push her back.

Rider stood up while still holding the blade in place. A white aura was surrounding her body. Her shield was flaring up divinely.

 _Crack._

She twisted her fingers lightly and suddenly a big chunk of Berserker's sword was broken out of the blade. As the metal dust spread across the air, Rider's piercing gaze was getting intense. The next moment the glowing shield was rammed into Berserker's chest.

The impenetrable armor _cracked_.

"Out of my sight fallen god."

An impact so heavy it shook the entire street was released right into the dark giant's chest and he was pushed back into a building, which immediately crumbled under the force and buried him alive!

Between the dust and flying rubble, Rider stood tall, as the ultimate victor.

Without giving her opponent another thought she walked over to Shige. He watched her in awe and smiled painfully. She picked him out of the dent inside the dumpster and then set him down against a wall. Her hands were gentle.

With a soft caress she took something out of his chest pocket. The pendant. Next she wrapped it around his neck. Instantly he could feel the protective field around his body. The pain in his chest was dulled and the flow of blood stopped.

"Thank you Shige."

"Eh?" He had prepared himself to be scolded by her. For going against her wishes, for rushing here on his own selfish will.

"I wanted to protect you and all the people of this city. Doing it without you was the only way I could imagine to succeed. Despite saying I trusted you… there was doubt inside my heart. Without wishing to, I felt you were a burden." She looked down in shame. "Indeed, you were the only one who showed true trust. You did not rely on the pendant, as you promised. You came to my aid even though it could have spelled the end for you. The one who protected everyone was not me, it was you."

"You are wrong…" Shige pushed himself up against the wall. His body was numb, but he knew that he was injured badly. "You are wrong…" He repeated.

She watched him with sympathetic blue eyes.

"I didn't… want to protect anyone. Not myself or the city… or even Yukimura-san." He clutched his fist and held it to his heart. "Only _you_. I only wanted to see you… I wanted to see you come back to me…" He said with tear filled eyes.

"I see." Rider did not condemn him. Not at all. Instead she embraced him. "I thank you for believing in someone as worthless as me."

The moment stretched out for what seemed like an eternity. Although it was only a short embrace, Shige felt deeply emotional. He never had felt this… appreciated. This was…

Rider let him go, her armor clanking a bit as she readjusted her posture. The glow that had surrounded her was already a mere dream of the past. She faced the shaking rubble of the building she had destroyed.

"It was inevitable. A god does not yield to such a blow."

"H-he isn't dead?!" Shige widened his eyes.

"I managed to penetrate his armor with the boost of your Command Seal, but the wound was shallow. Inconceivable. How did that vile man manage to pierce this armor so effortlessly?" She pondered. Lancer was the only one who had shown the ability to destroy Berserker's armor.

"Monster…" Shige was afraid. "B-but you are stronger now! You can take him down!" The fear was swiped aside by hope.

"I am afraid your gift was a short reprieve. The magic of the Command Seal has already worn off." She explained regretfully.

A vague command like 'survive' could not have a lasting effect. The power had been channeled into a single boost that allowed Rider to do exactly that, survive. As soon as she escaped death, the effects wore off.

"That can't be!" He looked disheartened. And yet. "I still have two more." He looked at his hand determinedly.

"It is not wise to rely on your special gift more than this." Rider pushed his hand down. "There are more battles to be won beyond this." Her smile of certainty was everything to him.

Even when faced with the greatest foe, cornered and beaten, Rider was still a hero. A Servant of the Holy Grail War. To her this was only one of many battles. Should she fall, then she would do it fighting to the last breath, fighting to obtain her wish, fighting with her wish on her lips.

Berserker could not break her. The moment he managed to become the final hurdle, she might as well forfeit the entire war. Shige understood that now.

"Archer-san went to help Yukimura-san. They are taking down the Master of that freak right now. We only need to hold out a bit longer." Shige tried his best to match her courage.

"So that is why you managed to slip past him. And why I did not receive any ranged support." She said with a calm smile.

"Rider-san, what happened to your arm?" He couldn't stop himself from looking at it.

"That blade of his has a cursed effect. I cannot say how, but he has taken the life of my arm."

"That's horrible!"

Rider huffed and moved her shoulder. The limp arm was moving slightly.

"The effects might not be permanent. I can feel a distant fire inside my hand." It didn't seem to heal anytime soon though. "I can wield my lance in both hands, naturally, but as I am, there is no chance of penetrating his armor."

So that is why she had chosen to stay on the defensive. Her shield was impressive in its own right, but holding back destruction incarnate was no easy task.

"Why did he come all this way?" Shige looked towards the plaza. "D-does he just want to kill all these people?"

"The gods are always selfish. And this one has lost all restraints and honor. His task eludes me, but he has been devouring the souls of people. That is the source of his power."

"You keep calling him a god. He is really strong, but…"

"I have observed many gods before, Shige. This one is of divine origin no doubt; I can see it with my eyes." Her silver Mystic Eyes flared up for a moment. "A corrupt god that has fallen to base desires."

"How can we even defeat a real god?!" It was even worse than he had thought.

"Despite his divinity, he was given a mortal vessel. No god can be summoned in their true form. Mere magic will not shackle those that have ascended above humanity."

"M-maybe… we should run." Shige said with a pained heart. He wasn't afraid for his own life. Rider seemed too determined to stop him. There was something more to it than just protecting the people of Matsumae.

"Do not say things you do not mean." She looked over her shoulder with a hint of disappointment. "You are a brave warrior, chosen by these eyes."

The rubble exploded. Berserker's tall figure towered in the center of destruction. Hunched over, but imposing. His dark eyes with the red cores were filled with madness. He was no different from before. Instead of being just dangerous… he seemed to be unhinged. Out of control.

This was a Berserker's true insanity.

"Stand back Shige. But watch closely."

"Rider-san, you can't-"

"I wish to be watched by the man who believed in me." Her back was turned to him as she walked over to her monstrous opponent.

That was unfair. He could not say anything after hearing that. All that was left to him as her Master was to cheer her on.

Berserker hit the battlefield like a train. His movements were much wilder, unrefined and destructive. He cut through the street and walls like they were made of paper. Debris flew everywhere like shrapnel and he grabbed a lamppost and swung it against Rider.

Instead of taking his blows head on like before, she kept evading and countering. For the shield maiden, defense was a well known state of mind. Yet, she had been overly aggressive before, fueled by despair. She would not make such mistakes again. Berserker's animalistic, crude movements were much easier to evade to her. Fighting monsters was her forte.

Shige watched with a solemn expression. He was an observer now. Rider-san wanted him to observe, to judge her bravery and trust. This was a fight to prove herself.

Even as the street was split apart and he had to hold on to a window of the tilted house next to him he did not stop following her gallant movement with his eyes.

Even as she was taking blows and staggering across the battlefield, she did not waver. He did not cry out again. This was his role.

Sword and shield clashed forcefully, plunging Rider's feet deep into ground. Berserker spun around, wildly swinging his sword like a whirlwind of death. Each blow was stronger than the last. Even the pristine shield, crafted by mystical beings, was eventually showing small cracks. The filigree runes and symbols were losing their glow.

Alongside Rider's exhaustion and doubts, the shield itself was also weakening. Yes, this fallen god itself was the anti-thesis to everything this white light represented. It swallowed the shine with its fangs and talons of devastation.

But Rider did not back down. In fact she handled herself better with each exchange. Her trust was stronger than her faith. Unshackled from her doubts all she had to do was keep fighting the monster in front of her. Not thoughts of the past tying her down, no fears for the future pushing her back. Only the present, with Shige's eyes on her back.

'She is so beautiful', he thought.

Not just her appearance, but her heart. This was what a hero should be.

His eyes saw it all. The mad giant, the shining Valkyrie… and the dark knight.

Shige's eyes widened. In the shadows of a crumbled garage he saw him. Lancer. So he had survived the fiery explosion of hell. His unarmored body was covered in singes, but he seemed to be fine. Finally some reinforcements arrived!

The one-eyed knight had watched the fight as well. He did not show any interest in joining in for now. Shige could not open his mouth. Lancer did not seem to be interested in him, but if he realized he was watched he might have done something to him out of spite. The Servant of the spear was not an ally. He had simply decided to join hands against a stronger opponent.

His stoic expression was that of a strategist trying to discern the optimal course of action. Finally he summoned his spear and held it to his side. Was he finally going to join the battle?

Shige's heart froze. The shadows around Lancer became thicker. The wooden spear in his hand was surrounded by snake like yellow energy, winding across its length. The activation of a Noble Phantasm. The same he had used against Berserker before? No, this felt different. The thick air of a Noble Phantasm (for a lack of a better expression) that he had felt before… it was not there. Instead the shadows seemed to swallow the Servant.

"A nuisance like you needs to be culled early." Lancer's voice seemed to echo quietly inside the shadows.

The tip of his spear was directed at the battling enemies. It found its target's back.

 _Rider._

No way. Why? How could he have chosen to attack her? Shige could not comprehend it. Wasn't the real enemy clear to see? What was this? Was he trying to surprise attack her? Where was his honor?!

" _Fall to this spear of betrayal…"_ Lancer's words were reverberating throughout the air. All of his force and prana was focused into the tip of the spear that came from darkness.

Shige felt anger rising inside him. Yes, anger. How could he? How _dare_ he do this? After all Rider-san had said, after all she had endured. She was fighting Berserker with all her being, protecting everyone on her own. This dishonorable bastard was going to backstab all her efforts? All her feelings?

 _Step._

" _ **Brudermord!"**_ Lancer exclaimed and shot out of the darkness.

 _Step._

This could not stand. Trampling her feelings and determination like this. He would not let it stand!

 _Step._

" _I won't let youuuu!"_ Shige stood in the path of the spear, with his arms spread wide.

He had moved without thinking. His legs had already decided what his heart knew was right.

His heart.

Impaled.


	33. General of Virtue II

**Cliffhangers sure are annoying, huh?  
**

* * *

 **General of Virtue II**

* * *

The world lit up in yellow and black. The pain was unbearable, tearing his entire body apart, molecule by molecule. The heat inside his chest was like a furnace. The force of the Servant's arm could have pushed the spear through a cement wall, what chance stood a frail human body?

Rider instinctively knew something was wrong. She jumped a few meters to dodge Berserker's fist and looked over in horror.

"SHIGE!"

Blood ran from his mouth again. The strain had been too much for the pendant.

The… pendant?

Inside his pain filled swirling head he realized something. Lancer looked at him perplexed. The spear was deep inside Shige's chest. The black knight pulled it out in stupor.

The pain was so horrible that he wanted to vomit out his organs. But they stayed intact. His body was one huge strain, but it held together.

He clasped his heart…. There was no hole. The spear had no penetrated his body. Instead a purple energy field had been dented in. The pendant's armor… had blocked the Noble Phantasm?

He sank to his knees. The pain was unending. There was not a blemish on his body and yet he felt the full force of the impalement inside his chest.

"That is not a power humans should wield." Lancer said quietly. "Not fainting. You impress me, lad." Lancer expressed his respect and spun his spear back into an idle position.

His voice was distorted to Shige's ears. The pain encompassed all his senses. It was like snakes were winding inside his chest and something grew inside his heart. A small piece of 'otherness'. It did not belong - did not - could not - should not be here!

A fever struck his mind and he clawed at his chest. His hands would not penetrate the protective shield.

"Your legs moved before you knew it. The sign of a promising knight." Lancer stepped past him without any killing intent. "The brave are remembered and the wise are forgotten. Only those who are both can shed their weakness and get what they want. Take this to heart."

"Shige! Step away from him coward!" That's when Rider rushed over and tried to hit the black knight, who summoned his armor and took the hit of her shield with his spear.

"You do not give him enough credit, Valkyrie. Your Master stepped in _my_ way." He smiled darkly and then slashed her across the armor. No rune explosion followed this time. "Have you run out of all your blessings already?"

The same moment she tried to shoot back, Berserker suddenly rushed into them. Rider could barely block his swing in time, while Lancer swiftly slid to the side and grabbed Shige. He unceremoniously threw him a few meters away from the fight, uncaring of the painful looking impact.

Shige shivered. His fingers dug into the earth of the cracked road. The pain made him unable to move anymore. This was bad. Lancer and Berserker… Rider-san stood no chance on her own.

"My plan failed." Lancer kicked off and then landed on a nearby wall. "But it is not all bad. There is still time." He watched Rider getting thrown back by Berserker. He then slightly moved his head to the side. An arrow grazed his helmet. "You should improve your strategy. The element of surprise can only be used once."

"I want you to be aware of who will punish your actions." Archer had arrived. He landed on the battlefield with the bow in his left hand.

"A general playing executioner? I have not sworn allegiance to your cause, so who are you to judge me?" Lancer jumped down and ducked under the arrows shot at him. They went straight through the walls.

"Injustice is universal. I would expect you to accept the judgment that accompanies the coward's way."

"And you should know a thing or two about strategy. What you call cowardice, I see as a necessity for victory." He deflected another arrow and jumped over a fence. "It is getting crowded here, so let us relocate this duel."

Archer watched him disappear with a serious expression.

"Sano-senpai, please be okay!" Koyuki had rushed over to her fallen ally and was immediately trying to help him up.

"I apologize for the delay." Archer turned to Rider and blocked a swing from Berserker. The bow barely creaked.

"The Master?" She asked with gritted teeth as she was dodging.

"Dead end."

"Curses…"

"We gained other information, though. Berserker is under orders to roam only at night."

"Is this true?"

"That, we have yet to confirm. Nonetheless we only have to last a bit longer. The two of us may be able to wound this weakened beast enough to retreat." It may have been too optimistic, but those were the words he had to say.

"…go after Lancer."

"…" Archer stood back to back with Rider. He could feel her anger and pain.

"He hurt Shige… he blindsided us. I can hold this fallen god off until dawn. I must."

Archer glanced at her useless arm and her battered body. But then he noticed her fiery eyes. He stepped forward and held his bow ahead.

"Why did you not summon your mount?"

"I cannot risk Gyllir's life. I endangered her once already." The regret in her voice was genuine.

"A fox that attempts to hunt two rabbits catches neither. A knight that tries to protect everyone will save nobody."

"You chase that second rabbit for me… and I am no knight."

Archer chuckled at her simplistic reply.

"I shall honor your wish. Should Koyuki-sama ask me to return however…"

"She is more important than my revenge or our lives." Rider accepted that conclusion without ill will.

"Thank you, from the bottom of my heart." He vanished at super-human speed and followed Lancer.

* * *

The black knight was swift despite his armor. Each jump took him across rooftops and each dash pushed him through entire neighborhoods. In just about a minute he had reached the giant river in the center of Matsumae. He looked over his shoulder, just in time to see the incoming arrows.

He stopped still and let the arrows pierce the ground in front of him. The river's shore was soft and exploded into dirt and sand with every impact of the sharp projectiles. Lancer kicked off and deflected another arrow aimed for his head. Each shot had been guiding his steps towards this natural barrier. He was figuratively with his back to the wall.

Archer pulled the bowstring mid-jump and fired from a kilometer's distance. His sharp eyes did never let go of his target. He slid across the walls of a skyscraper and shot two spiraling arrows.

Lancer was stopped by the impact to each of his sides and completely trapped. The next arrow he could deflect, but the one following that grazed his shoulder plate. More kept coming. Unlike a conventional archer, a Servant had no need for a quiver or ammunition. Archer simply summoned more arrows to his string with each draw.

He could deflect them, so they could not be especially high ranked. They might not even penetrate his armor if they weren't boosted. Which ones were dangerous and which ones weren't? Finding that out would be risky. Archer was waiting for a mistake on his part.

"Keep chasing me a bit more." Lancer whispered and then jumped backwards. The three arrows aimed for his chest penetrated the ground and splashed as they entered the waves of the river current. Lancer had jumped straight into the water!

Archer squinted his eyes and then flung himself across the rooftops until he reached the coast. Even his sharp eyes could not penetrate the murky darkness of the river. It was illuminated by the electrical lights atop the distant bridge, but the light was blindingly reflected.

 _Swish!_

The arrow pierced the surface just as the spear broke it. Lancer blocked it and create a splash wave with his retreating body. Somehow Archer had predicted his swim path.

"Inside the water you are powerless to dodge." Archer's firing continued.

Lancer dove deeper. It was true that the water current would slow him down, even if only slightly. But arrows lost tremendous accuracy inside the water. They dove past him all across the dark depths, leaving trails of bubbles and air pockets.

Archer followed the winding path of the black knight and made predictive shots. They were getting closer each time, but soon he would reach the opposite shore. Running across the rope of a anchored boat, Archer crossed the distance by hopping over a steadied ferry. The moment Lancer left the water his back would be exposed. Arrow tip pointed forward he went into a stance.

 _Splash!_

As the water opened up Archer had already released his shot. The arrow sailed across the distance and grazed something coming the opposite way.

Lancer's spear was flying straight for Archer! He twisted his feet on top of the captain's cabin and dodged the deadly spear throw. Before he could rebalance it already returned and scratched against the bow that had been held up protectively just for that sneak attack.

The spear returned all the way to Lancer's hand across the river. He grasped it tightly and wiped the blood from his cheek. The arrow had not missed completely either. They now stood far apart and Lancer had crossed the 'wall'. He beckoned his opponent over with a cocky hand gesture.

It had almost cost him his remaining eye, as Archer didn't even hesitate to shoot him. Lancer grinned and swiftly ran towards the city.

* * *

The chase continued in a similar fashion until the black knight finally stopped running and entered a warehouse. It was an obvious trap for sure. Catching his breath a little, Lancer squatted down inside the darkness and leaned on his spear. He could feel Archer's presence closing in. He was persistent if nothing else.

The newfound silence was foreboding. Clearly the Chinese hero had seen him enter. The question was whether he would take the bait.

 **Zkkkt.** _ **Crack!**_

Lancer growled. The arrow had smashed a crate next to him. The hole inside the brick wall was small, but incredibly even. Worse than a bullet from point blank. Just as he had looked at the small stream of moonlight penetrating the darkness more holes opened up. Archer was sharpshooting through the very walls!

He stepped to the side to evade getting punctured and kept watch on the irregular pattern of holes in the walls. Was he really shooting randomly? Just guessing? Those shots were painfully accurate. Lancer nudged his torso to the side and the splintering wood behind him spread across the floor. He was a sitting duck.

Or he would have been. With a quick slice he destroyed a trap door and jumped into a hidden hallway. That tenacious general could keep shooting holes into the place for a while longer.

* * *

The continued fire was soon allowing Archer to see into the warehouse. The holes were creating a window into the trap so to say. He focused on the now ghastly illuminated insides. Lancer's presence was still clearly inside. He could not conceal his presence like an Assassin, so he had nowhere to hide.

The bowstring swung back and forth as the last shot was fired. A simple tap would collapse the front wall now. Instead of continuing the deadly hail though, he decided to descend down and kick open the door. Light streamed inside and revealed a smashed, but empty warehouse. Naturally Lancer had not kept squatting under enemy fire.

Archer's red uniform fluttered a little in the sucked in night air. The current was directed somewhere…

He swiped his bow to the side and with the shockwave alone the trashed crates flew away. In the center of the warehouse was a broken trap door. It had previously been covered by the wooden pieces. This was the only escape route.

Lancer must have scouted the city quite well to come upon such secret passages on the fly. Despite appearing as a brutish knight, he was displaying a tactical mind now.

Without hesitation Archer took a long step and jumped into the passage below. It was tight, almost claustrophobic. The damp air and heat were signs of the depth of this system. There was a weak air current pointed at another exit ahead. The dark passage was abandoned, as indicated by the cobwebs.

"You seriously followed me down here? I confess this is unexpected." Lancer was standing in the shadows ahead. His posture was night relaxed as he leaned against the granite walls.

"Was this no your plan?"

"Indeed it was. Yet I still feel surprised to see you willingly go along with it. I must have angered you more than expected."

"What is this place?"

"This is an underground system created by the local organized criminal syndicates. _Yakuza_ they call them I reckon." Lancer explained. "They have abandoned this place years ago due to a conflict in their ranks. This modern world is fascinating. All this advancement and yet territorial conflicts never change."

Archer looked across the tunnel and behind him. There was not much room to move and as far as he could see no intersections. Just one straight line. What was Lancer's intention by getting him down here? This was a disadvantageous position for him to be in. More so than for Archer. Moving that long spear in a confined space would be tiresome compared to drawing a bow. All he could think of was to force the distance between them to close…

"I thought you might figure it out quickly. The brilliant mind of the General that nearly brought the Jin dynasty to its end all on the merit of his wits cannot be underestimated." Lancer grinned sarcastically.

"You found out my identity, but you still miscalculated." Archer said calmly and raised his bow. "I can assure you that I will run this arrow through your heart before your Noble Phantasm can reach me."

"We will see about that. I could not mock your marksmanship, but you underestimate my spear's true power." Lancer put it over his shoulder and looked down on Archer. "This is more befitting of a duel between men. Eye to eye with no obstructions. A battle that would be sung of by bards if anybody ever knew."

"You dare speak of honorable combat after what you just did?" Archer's focused eyes became a tinge enraged.

"What makes you say so? All I did was ascertaining my victory. Honor is to fight with bravery. Honor is to be victorious. Honor is to serve your king to the utmost." His words seeped into his opponents ears and found the most painful spot. "I thought you of all people would understand the meaning of _loyalty_."

"…" Archer silently kept the dark knight in his aim.

"Haha, but what is this? The man who put loyalty above all else - even his own life - has abandoned his Master! Are you certain that was the right move?"

"Loyalty… is not so base. Koyuki-sama has a dream. She has wishes that transcend her own wellbeing. A loyal subject has to act on their master's will, not on their own feelings."

"Did she _order_ you to chase me?" Lancer asked with fake surprise.

"…"

"Ah! Your eyes tell me a different story. Was all that boasting just empty bravado? You are very different from what I heard. When did you put your comrades' wishes above those of your masters?"

"I did no such thing."

"It is understandable of course. You served a corrupt government, a weak dynasty. You had no king worth serving, yet you gave everything for them. In the end all your efforts went to waste. The China you had envisioned has never come to pass. They ignored their greatest chance to make something great, because they feared you. Which was your greatest failure I wonder? To follow their leadership unquestioned or the fact that you never attempted to convince them of your dream?" Lancer stretched forward his hand and made a fist. "A good retainer ought to take the reins in his own hands to serve their king. Have you learned this truth now?"

"You are misled." Archer looked upon his bow etched with countless symbols and beautiful strokes. "You have forgotten your place in the universe. The great Confucius once said ' _Our greatest glory is not in never falling, it is in rising every time we fall'_." His mouth formed a soft smile. "My fall was inevitable. The Song Empire was destined to fall eventually as well. Some day though, the right people rose up once more to unite the lands. The world always finds balance ultimately."

"Oriental philosophy has never agreed with me." Lancer's smirk disappeared.

"This is the enlightenment of an old fool. Serving to our utmost is the greatest honor. When all things come to a close, the people will do what one man would not. One Emperor is fallible, but many will find the way. The same applies to my Master. She will find the right way with or without me."

"Your complacency is disgusting." Lancer spat out.

"Complacency, is it? I had indeed grown weary of waiting for the natural turn of things. Once I had thought that everything could be changed by my power alone. Now I am not so sure anymore." It was a somber statement. "You said that you will take the reins yourself. Is that why you act on your own, ignoring your 'king'?" He questioned the black knight with a curious gaze.

"Turning it back on me?" Lancer frowned. "My Lehnsherr has the potential to be a great king. There is something holding him back…" He shook his head. "That's why I decided to lead him to the right place. No matter the cost."

"You are imposing your ideals on him."

"That is the only way I know how to serve him." Lancer said dryly.

"I understand now why she called you a twisted man." Archer stroked his goatee thoughtfully.

"To me it is you who is twisted."

"Perhaps that is true as well." Archer had regained his composure. His spirit was centered. Lancer's goading was a meaningless wave brushing against his cliffs.

"That woman has a lot of nerve to judge me with such contempt. A powerless pawn has no reason to continue in this world."

"You despise Rider that much? To resort to such lowlife tactics no less."

"Why General, you seem to have taken a liking to that failure of a lapdog. But you err, I have nothing against her kind." He admitted with a wry smile. "She is simply an inconvenient obstacle. You see, I am the victim of a curse. Her kind is the most problematic to people like me."

"I see. This must be why you could not use your full power against her." A curse that made him weaker against specific types of enemies, was it?

"Figured me out. She decided to leave herself wide open, so I just did what was necessary. I could not have known that her Master was such a interesting lad."

"I understand your way of thinking a little more now. This nonetheless could not change my mind. Your actions are deplorable."

"We have arrived at an impasse then. Thank you for listening to me anyway." Lancer shrugged and put his spear forward.

Archer nodded. He indeed understood this twisted man now. He was not evil. Few men truly were. If he had not made peace with his fate long ago, perhaps his taunts would have worked. Catching a mad enemy off-guard was just another strategy this Servant of the spear used.

He drew his bow and put the string to the limit. A straight shot. Lancer was unable to dodge, so all he could do was block or deflect his attacks. He would not put himself into such a bad spot without a plan though.

"Here I come Archer!" Lancers one pupil shrank in excitement and the next moment he cast off his armor. His speed was incredible!

They were only separated by 10 meters. A Servant could overcome this distance in the fracture of a second, Lancer even faster. Archer had no time to think or react. His aim had to be true. He would only get one shot.

His breathing had stopped and time slowed down. The rushing knight's blurred body lines were traveling across the muted tunnel space in the reflection of Archer's eyes. The arrow tip was locked on to his heart. The spear was coming for his throat. Two deadly tips of metal about to claw into each other.

His fingers were slowly moving from the string. He let go. The moment his fingertips released it, the arrow shot firth at mach speed. Its light green glow reflected off the damp walls and created a fascinating swirl. The tip was screw shaped, able to pierce through and armor. This arrow could not be stopped by a half-hearted defense.

Lancer swerved mid dash. The arrow was too fast. This small hallway did not allow him to evade. If he outstretched his spear right now he might have been able to strike Archer the same moment his heart got impaled. Their determined gazes met!

The spear swerved… and hit the wall! The granite exploded and revealed a huge empty space beyond the tight hallway. Lancer fell into the hollow space just as the arrow grazed his chest.

Archer's eyes focused on the left. Lancer had dodged his undodgeable attack and next he was bursting out of the wall spear ahead! His mad grin was underlining his victory.

Archer's reflexes were beyond anything Lancer could have imagined. Despite the surprise attack, he managed to move the center of his body and turn towards his opponent. His form was graceful and his bow moved into perfect line to intercept the incoming attack. Lancer's gamble did not pay off, as Archer was simply too swift.

The spear was glowing an intense yellow.

Archer realized his mistake too late.

Blood splashed across the granite walls and painted them in a dark crimson. Archer was pushed into the opposing side and created a small indent inside it. The spear was deeply stuck in his side and pushing him forward.

Lancer shouted and then rammed him through the wall!

The thick wall exploded and they were both catapulted into the hollow space beyond. The darkness was even more intense in here and the sound of running water assailed them from everywhere in an infernal echo. They splashed into the side-arm of the canalization system.

They landed even further into the rushing waters and then crashed into the final wall. Archer was stopped with a painful gasp. He then summoned a short sword and slashed against Lancer's surprised face. The black haired Servant retreated and pulled out his spear with a horrific sound, letting blood stream into the cleared water.

Archer's side was bleeding profusely, but he still stood on his two feet. Pressed against the impact marks of the wall behind him he steadied his body.

"You're tough." Lancer touched his cheek. Now there was a cross shaped cut mark on it. First the mark of the arrow before and now the sword slash. That had been closer than expected.

"I underrated it now… your Noble Phantasm." Archer said with a strained voice. Everything fell into place. Lancer could not have stabbed his side from that angle. It was impossible.

Archer had protected his body with utmost form. There had been no opening except for the one place Lancer could not reach. And that was exactly where his spear arrived.

"Your spear always hits the weak spot of your enemy. Without fail." He held his bleeding side shut with one hand, while extending his sword to the side.

"Not bad." Lancer clapped his hands in a display of superiority.

"That is how you managed to penetrate Berserker's invincible armor." Archer concluded.

"There is no such thing as an 'invincible armor'." Lancer correct him. "Everything is made with flaws. Every defense has some opening that I can exploit. Even an invincible hero has at least one weakness."

"A frightening ability. One that does not seem to cost you much prana at that." Archer steadied his body and ignored his wound.

"Relying on it too much will make my victory less exciting though." Lancer clicked his tongue and spun his spear back into position for attack.

"But you still opted for a sneak attack on Rider." Archer suddenly said with a calculating gaze.

"…"

"There is a flaw to this ability." Archer took his sword and angled it downwards while raising his arm. He stretched his left hand forward as if to beckon Lancer to attack again. "You will not be able to hit me again." He declared with certainty.

"Cocky bastard." Lancer growled. His spear lit up in a yellow hue again. The energy wound around it like snakes. "I will have you heart next!" He stepped forward, his muscles building to the maximum, before he stabbed forward with all his power.

Archer did not move.

The spear reached his throat, but then Archer twisted the blade and smacked the spear aside. Lancer's eyes widened, before he received an elbow to the unprotected side and was then smashed into the water. The liquid exploded like a geyser.

"How could this-?!" Lancer coughed water and dodged the next stab by a hair's breadth.

Archer returned to his stance with just one simple step and took a deep breath. His eyes were unyielding, as was his body.

The black knight wiped his wet face with his arm and glared. He seemed to understand now.

"You are not human." He said exasperatedly. "That stance has not a single flaw in it."

"If it is a weak point you need, I simply have to erase any weakness inside me." Archer replied coolly.

"I never met a man that was so sickeningly flawless."

It was beyond the understanding of a knight like him. The perfection of the Eastern martial arts forms that united the user with universe. Chinese martial arts that surpassed the feats of mere mortals. Yue Fei was not just a master marksman; he was also one of the greatest martial artists to ever live.

"Will you be able to keep such impeccable form as I slowly beat you to death, I wonder?" Lancer regained his composure faster than expected. He summoned his armor. Forfeiting speed for protection from palm strikes and fists. He made the right call.

"A query you need to confirm yourself." Archer was passive. His stance required to be on the defensive. The greatest flaw of an impenetrable defense.

The first attack came in hard. The spear clashed with the sword and broke it apart in one swing.

"Weak!" He kept up a rain of powerful piercing attacks. Each of them crushed a new weapon or shield summoned by his enemy. Lancer's strength was completely unlike during his battles with Rider. His powerful attacks could surely destroy such basic weapons, but every now and then the spear lit up in a yellow hue. It could even crack the weaknesses in the weapons so casually, when it could not hurt the wielder yet. "Stop relying on these weak trinkets and show me your Noble Phantasm!"

Archer was pushed back through the streaming water and jumped back onto a dry tiled side-path. He pulled up his bow again.

"Very well." He said and shot a volley of arrows Lancer's way.

"So this bow was your true Noble Phantasm in the end!" Lancer laughed excitedly and crashed through the arrows, uncaring of his armor getting scratched up. The spear clashed with the ornate bow. It could not break it like the other shallow weapons.

Archer spun in place and rammed the bow against Lancer's unprotected chin. The helmet was open only around the face and chin area, so he hit it without fail. Lancer was thrown back, but had the awareness to still deflect the arrow aimed for his heart. He had realized that this arrow could have pierced his armor just in time.

To think an archer could keep up in close-quarter combat with him… It was exhilarating.

"Is that wound slowing you down already?" He said as he appeared right behind Archer. The bow came for his neck, but he just swerved out of the way and then stabbed into the wound. Archer moved with the stabbing motion and then kicked Lancer's incoming fist out of the way.

"Do not make hasty assumptions!" Archer shouted back and then shot an arrow clearly past Lancer. He seemed surprised, but the next moment the arrow hit his shoulder plates. It had ricocheted off a pipe.

Their exchanges continued throughout the canalization. Eventually the broke through another wall and returned to more confined space. Lancer could not move his spear freely, so his attack were limited to forward stabs. If the huge sword on his side hadn't been a few arrows would have incapacitated his legs already.

How could this be? Even though Archer was relying on a ranged weapon… he was more than capable of matching Lancer! He tried to hit his weak point, but the guard never lowered for more than a moment between attacks.

The ceiling was skewered by dozens of deflected arrows. Dirt rained down on them as Lancer hit aside the bow and then swiped Archer's feet. The red armored Servant blocked the swipe and twisted Lancer's leg. The next moment he rammed the bow into his armpit and pulled him into a palm strike!

Lancer was flung against a wall and bounced off while coughing blood. His chest plate had a clear indent of Archer's palm.

"You… bastard…" The back knight deflected incoming arrows and then lowered his back. His entire posture turned desperate. "Didn't think I'd have to go this far."

"Were you not the one speaking of false bravado before?" Archer replied mockingly.

"I'm glad you pushed me back into this place. There was a reason I wanted to have our little duel here." He smiled darkly and then rammed his spear into the ground.

Archer followed the movement and stood guarded. To his surprise the spear disappeared into the floor. Then Lancer rammed his fist into the already cracked wall. With a rumble the wall collapsed and then the spear shot back out of the ground and into the ceiling.

"You intend to collapse the entire passage-?!" Archer had realized Lancer's plan just as it happened.

The ceiling was weak, the walls brittle and the floor thin and hollow. The entire area was one big death trap. Just as the world crumbled around them Lancer tackled Archer with all his might. They exchanged blows as they were falling.

Hit, _clash_ , deflect!

Lancer balled his armored fist and hit forward where his spear was too long.

Archer raised his right arm in defense, but the wound in his side suddenly flared up.

The punch hit him right across the face and he was rammed into the three floor lower ground. The impact sent him flying up a few centimeters before he landed on a pile of rubble. Lancer slid into position right in front of him.

" **This is the end!"**

His spear was glowing in a sun-like yellow. Archer was lying on his back. Unable to protect himself, all his weak points were exposed. The strike was merely a formality, as he was already dead the moment Lancer's Noble Phantasm was unleashed.

In stopped time Archer's hands reached the bow. He somehow managed to move it into position. He had no strength or room to pull the string far back. This arrow would not hit Lancer even if it went off.

The black knight smiled sadistically as he pulled back his spear and unleashed it.

On the ground, with a half-drawn bow, unable to shoot from this angel, Archer was done for.

The bow's polished material was like silk in his hands. The ornate markings were shimmering in a soft green. They reflected the burning passion of his attacker, just as they reflected the deep clam of his mental oceans.

His bow… his bow of…

" **Zhuxianzhen."** Archer could not hit. His one method of action was meaningless in this situation. A tactician would never rely on just one strategy though. Yue Fei was famous for his contribution to the art of war. His armies had been unrivaled by their much stronger and overwhelming force of enemies due to his very own 'six methods of deployment'. In the end, all that a battle was could be summarized on a piece of paper. An exchange of wits and the fortitude of the mind.

His arrow was sent forth into an unfavorable position. It missed Lancer's head by the width of a pinky finger. Although surprised by that impossible last resistance, the dark knight moved his spear forward.

"Krrk!" Lancer exclaimed painfully. His attack stopped just before Yue Fei's heart. His body was stiff and unable to move.

Five arrows were sticking out of his body from every direction.

"How… did you…?" Lancer stumbled backwards and slid down a wall.

"Greater men than you have underestimated the Southern Winds." Archer rose from the rubble and looked down on Lancer triumphantly.

The black knight had been pierced from five directions. Indeed, these shots were all those of Archer himself. Not tricks or ruses, just a matter of using every 'possibility' of this skirmish.

"You didn't shoot six arrows… You didn't redirect them…" Lancer barely managed to get up and ripped one arrow out of his side. "Those were six _separate_ shots!"

"You are quite impressive, knight." Archer looked at him with a measure of respect. To see through his Noble Phantasm after a single use was beyond amazing.

"It was obvious." Lancer grinned painfully. "I have been shot by countless arrows in my life. To make up for my lost eye I improved my senses. If it had been one shot I could have predicted it. If it had been one attack… I could have…" He coughed blood and pulled another arrow out of his back.

His tenacious act was unbelievable. Archer slowly raised his bow. Though Lancer acted tough, he was at the end of his strength. His legs were shaking. He could barely stand. One arrow had pierced his spine.

"How could you do such a thing?" Lancer muttered to himself. " _Temporal refraction_?"

Six separate shots. All executed at the exact same time from six angles. That was the secret of the Noble Phantasm. It transcended human ability and entered the realm of 'possibility manipulation'. The fabric of reality itself bent to Archer's bow.

"I hope you can rest easy, having figured it out." Archer put an arrow on the string.

"Hahahahaha!" The black knight laughed all of a sudden. "I will admit it! I have never met a greater marksman than you! To shoot a hole into probability itself!" He opened his arms widely and kept laughing at the absurdity of it all. "If my path had to be ended by any opponent, I will have the least regrets if it was by you." He finally stopped his hoarse laughter and stared his executioner into the face, with arrows protruding from his body. Lancer was the type of man who would stare his end in the face without complaint.

"You honor me. To accept one's loss in grace is the way of a true man."

The final shot would not be painful or drawn out. It was just the end of one path.

" _ **Archer-dono!"**_

Archer's eyes widened. He heard the desperate voice of his Master inside his mind.

" _ **Please come back to meeee!"**_

Lancer looked on with a glazed over gaze as Archer disappeared in front of him.

"Fool… didn't even hesitate. If you worried about her so much… you shouldn't have bothered with me…" He coughed blood and then collapsed forward.


	34. Soul Eater

**No, this has not become a crossover all of a sudden, despite the title. lol  
**

* * *

 **Soul Eater**

* * *

 _To protect one means to lose another._

The sound of the raging battle was numb to Koyuki's ears. Albeit the shockwaves of the Servants' clashing weapons shook her hakama like gusts of a growing storm, she had no notion of her surroundings. All she could think of was the person in her arms.

An attest to her failure and the gruesome nature of this war. This couldn't be happening…

* * *

A few minutes earlier.

"Sano-senpai! Can you hear me? Please focus." Koyuki was leaning Shigechiyo against her lap and held his head in place. His entire body was spasming as if electrified. The strange purple glow which originated from the pendant around his neck was flickering ceaselessly. The boy's eyes were darting around as if following invisible entities. His mouth was forming words, but there was no voice to give them life.

It was horrible. Berserker had cornered Rider-dono. Then Lancer appeared and tried to stab her in the back. Sano-senpai had taken the blow for her… Archer-dono had chased the black knight and left them behind. If he had not done so then perhaps Lancer would have taken another shot from the shadows, but she still felt horribly vulnerable.

Despite her growing anxiety there was a cool core inside the shrine maiden. Something her training as an exorcist had instilled in her. Her brother had often said that those who lose their mind will lose everything. Even back when that evil spirit had attacked them he had not once lost his calm. She needed to channel that strong indomitable image of her brother right now. His unflinching back.

"Nii-san." She whispered to herself to affirm her reality in this chaos.

With a short gasp Sano looked up at Koyuki. A hint of recognition flashed across his face before he returned to painful twisting and shaking. He had reacted to her soft voice rather than to her loud wake up calls.

Koyuki forced herself to take in everything step by step. Sano-senpai had taken a Noble Phantasm to the chest – a feat not human would survive. The charm he had been carrying this entire time was obviously more than just a simple ward. This bordered on divine protection that even the greatest Kuji-in would not provide.

She quickly inspected his chest, feeling below his shirt. Aside from his surprisingly hot skin he showed no signs of injury. No blood or cuts. If the affliction wasn't physical it could have been a side-effect of the charm. Either that or the Noble Phantasm affected more than the body.

Whichever was the case, she could not let him stay around. The fight was raging on in the alley and as long as they were here Rider-dono would be unable to focus. As terrible as the state of Sano-senpai was, she needed to do something. With a bit of a struggle she dragged his arm over her shoulder and pulled him up. Even though he was skinny, he still felt surprisingly heavy. Their height difference certainly didn't help.

Koyuki put in the effort and moved away from the alley, all the while looking over her shoulder to see how the fight was progressing. Rider-dono was being pushed around. She was entirely on the defensive, only bearing her shield to the mad titan. Berserker seemed wilder than before. Koyuki could feel that his aura was disturbed. At this moment she would have had a hard time telling him apart from a evil spirit.

"Guuh… R-id…er-san…" Sano mumbled deliriously into her ear. His glazed over eyes were still moving. Did he watch her fight inside his mind?

"She will win. I know she will." She whispered in the same calm voice from before. Those reassuring words seemed to have an effect on the boy as he became more peaceful.

Was she lying to him? How much did she believe those words herself? Her faith in Rider-dono was endless, from the perspective of someone who admired heroes. A shining beacon of goodness could not lose to such twisted evil. But in the depth of her soul she knew that good did not always triumph. Not without a price.

She managed to drag her senpai all the way to a wide array of large marble steps. This was the center of the city, so it wasn't unexpected to see such beautiful craftsmanship. That aside, she needed to set him down now. There was no telling if moving him any more than necessary would have adverse effects on his condition. Tenderly she sat him down on the marble, cooled by the night, and then stretched him out straight.

He had become still. His eyes were finally closed too. Regular breathing. Although his left hand was still clutching his chest, she felt that he would be alright. She was no doctor, but Sano-senpai had been very opposed to going to a hospital before, so she didn't know what to do aside from letting him rest.

There was one thing… The paper seal slid out of her sleeve as if in reaction to her thoughts. The characters drawn on it were those of the life-giver.

Focus. Discipline. Willpower.

The principles of the Onmyouji were solid pillar. Those pillars were built on a foundation of faith. Her mother had always put faith above anything else. She was strong, but also humble. Something Koyuki would have aspired to be in the past. Yet the burden of unyielding faith in front of everything that contradicted it was too much for her. She couldn't be like her mother.

This inherent weakness was the reason that the Yukimura clan did not consider her as the next head. She was too willful, a dreamer… and she did not have faith in the teachings. It was sacrilege. It was treachery.

But there was something she had learned. The power dormant deep inside her, the techniques and wisdom of the ancestors, they all seemed to run through her when she called upon them to protect people. The ideal that her father had taught her, the one that her brother had so solemnly accepted as his heritage. Perhaps her childish view of heroes was exactly the same.

The paper seal was placed on the boy's head. She started to imbue it with spiritual energy. This Kuji-in could boost a person's life energy. It was a technique that could backfire. Because just as it boosted a living being's life force, it harmed the spirits of the dead. It was a tool for battle more than for support. If it was badly executed it would harm living spirits as well. If she slipped up she would force a stream of spiritual energy into a small vessel that could not contain it.

Her hand was shaking. Sano-senpai might have been fine on his own. Risking this was too much.

Then she noticed that there was resistance between her seal and his chest. There was a thin invisible layer between them. The protective barrier was rejecting her seal? It was shocking how broadly it reacted. Something that could stop a Noble Phantasm should have been able to do this much though. For now she would take the pendant away to administer the Kuji-in.

The small wooden marble inside its center was spinning rapidly. It was mesmerizing, but also oddly otherworldly. She had to pull her eyes away from it to finally grasp it. It was extremely cold compared to Sano's hot skin. As she tried to take it off she realized that she couldn't. It was stuck to his body.

"Is this a curse?" It was a possibility. But she couldn't imagine that someone as noble as Rider-dono would give a cursed item to her Master.

It turned out to be impossible to remove without force. Applying any of her exorcisms would be fruitless as well. The only person who could tell her how to remove it was probably the same one that was currently fighting to protect them.

Koyuki stood up and looked across the walkway. The giant steps led to the plaza that was still filled with a huge crowd. They were looking up to some giant screens that showed off ads and some program she had never seen before. Others were chatting casually over some food. There were even some drunkards with their ties bound to their heads. Somehow they hadn't noticed the loud sounds of battle that came from the opposite direction.

A loud crunching sound made her body freeze. The fight was getting more brutal. She couldn't afford to stay back and wait it out. Rider and Archer-dono were fighting with all they had. There must have been something for her to do. As long as she didn't get in the way.

"Kiba! Zai!" Koyuki stretched out her hand and summoned the dog-like Shikigami that Aoki-dono had given to her. The paper dog stood ready in the same pose as the much larger stone statues of the same design. "Protect him please." She respectfully ordered the mute familiar. It did not move an inch from the boy's side.

* * *

Koyuki began running back the way she came. Just as she put eyes on the severely damaged alley she was pushed back by a shockwave. While she protected her face with crossed arms, she noticed something rushing past her long white sleeves.

 _BOOM!_

The wall of a textile shop next to her was blown to pieces. What had been flung into it with such destructive force… Koyuki's eyes widened in shock.

Rider-dono was lying inside the rubble. Her armor was covered in dozens of gashes and dents. Her face was covered in blood. Looking at her was painful enough; she couldn't even imagine what she was going through.

 _Thunk. Thunk. Thunk._

Her heart stopped. The shaking earth and those loud metallic steps were terrifying. Their heaviness carried more than just a giant body. It was the weight of death. This specter would not stop until it found the thread of life and severed it completely.

Berserker's muzzle was releasing steam. Hot breath stinking of the end times. The long curved sword was dragged across the streets, inadvertently cutting it open. His hulking figure was already right next to Koyuki before she knew it. Red eyes in the depth of darkness were falling upon her.

Sora was injured and Kiba was with Sano-senpai. She was not confident that she could finish a chant before the sword cut her down. It was meaningless to resist, but she could not stop thinking about Rider's defeated shape inside the destroyed shop. This couldn't be the reward for righteousness. This wasn't what the stories she loved were like!

The seals flared up inside her hands. She chanted inside her mind. Over and over. Holy words she didn't believe in, calling upon powers that should not have meant anything.

" _On jiterashi itara jibaratano sowaka."_ Each syllable rushed over her lips like an electrical current. Without hesitation she slammed the seals into Berserker's side.

The giant had turned towards Rider, completely ignoring Koyuki. Now it was too late for him to react. The seal of the outer lion had already been placed upon him! The celestial jewel's power was flowing through their connection and spiraled out of control. The claws of unknown entities grasped the dark giant and restraint him in the holy light!

Berserker was stuck. An angry grumble escaped the muzzle and then he started flailing around. Impressive. It had taken him only seconds to weaken the shackles that were supposed to bind evil to the earth. Koyuki's arm that was connected to the seal began to hurt. Each movement send hot pain through her muscles. The feedback from the sealing technique was making her feel queasy.

How long could she hold him? 3 seconds? Maybe 2…

"I thank you Koyuki." The clear voice of the one she wanted to hear the most was piercing the night. Rider-dono raised her healthy arm and pointed her lance at the monstrous Servant. "You gave me the chance to recover."

"I can't… hold…" Koyuki pressed out between her teeth. Her entire body was vibrating. Berserker was breaking the seal.

"Haaah!" Rider jumped out of the hole in the wall and then rammed her lance into Berserker's defenseless legs. She pulled it back and then sliced across his left arm that managed to move up protectively at the last second.

An inaudible shattering sound echoed on the spiritual plain and then Koyuki was grabbed by the armored woman and moved to safety. Rider put her down and then switched to her shield. She was only able to counter-attack thanks to Koyuki's opening. Now she would have to return to defense.

"How is Shige?"

"He seems to be recovering. I left Kiba with him." Koyuki explained hastily while holding her pulsating arm. With just one seal she had drained this much of her spiritual power…

"I am glad to hear that." Rider nodded firmly. "Now return to his side. That fallen god will not cease his attack from this much damage. His recovery is abnormal."

"It's… because of the souls he devoured." Koyuki said with a sad expression.

"That seems to be the truth unfortunately."

"T-that's right! Berserker's Master said that his true identity is T… sanatosu…" The foreign word was hard to pronounce for her.

"Thanatos, Greek god of death. I had already suspected as much." Rider watched him roar as his limbs regenerated. "No wonder we had so much trouble. It is befitting of a reaper to stoop to such evil."

"Is he truly a g-god?"

"…" Rider did not reply. Instead she gently pushed Koyuki aside. Her shield was glowing weakly. Its light was not as bright as a few minutes ago.

Berserker's wounds were smoking. The regeneration seemed… different. More rudimentary. There was still red flesh inside the dark skin. The black chest armor was glowing with an eerie green.

"He… is he running out of energy?" Koyuki realized that the oppressive feeling of tormented souls had dispersed from the giant.

"Yes." Rider agreed. "Which means he will be more desperate than ever before." She disappeared and in the next moment reappeared blocking the large shartted blade.

" _ **GROOOOOOAAAAH!"**_ Berserker's ferocious roar was pushing her back just as much as his sword swings. Incredible power was behind each swing, but it could be said that his attack were getting slower. Maybe now Rider-dono could finally fight back. Her energy didn't seem to run out at all, although the injuries and battle damage sustained were encumbering her movements as well.

"This madness makes you predictable god of Olympus!" Rider declared and then rammed the shield against Berserker's wrist. He showed no reaction in the way of pain, but he did get thrown back. "I cannot break your armor, but I will crush your head with pleasure!" She summoned the lance inside her shield arm's hand and swiped Berserker off his feet.

With a completely unexpected move the huge Servant rolled over and then kicked the pavement. The next thing Rider saw was the giant fist ramming against her shield on purpose. Her smaller arm was pushed against her body. The force of the strike was aimed?!

Next the sword barely missed her throat as she made a desperate leap. Into a trap. Everywhere around her were the flickering street lights. They made her throw large shadows. And from said shadows extended the dozen shadowy chains! They wrapped around her arms and legs and pulled with unknown strength. Next she was rammed into the street and dragged across it all the way towards the shadows.

Berserker lowered his sword and then turned away from Rider.

"How could you-?!" Her throat was wrapped up by a chain and made her unable to breathe. The mad Servant ignored her, as he had lost his seething anger and instead stomped towards the direction of the plaza.

Koyuki was stunned. This was the second time she had seen him change his behavior this much. One moment he was rabidly trying to destroy Rider-dono and the next he was keeping her away to escape. There was suddenly method to his madness. That was the only way she could describe it.

Time stretched out in an infinite moment. Berserker was rushing towards the innocent civilians. Rider was dragged into the shadows far away. Koyuki was in the middle, unable to move or act. Where could she go? Who should she help? There was nothing she could do to stop Berserker or the chains!

She closed her eyes and called out.

" _ **Archer-dono! Please come baaaack!"**_

The telepathic message must have reached him. She could feel him move in response. It was the surreal feeling of another's spirit connected to her. Their emotions were transmitted, one of despair, the other of determination.

He would not make it in time. She could feel how far away he was. Then-!

"C-Command Seal! I order you to return to me-" She was about to finish the command when she saw something spine-chilling.

Berserker had grabbed two screaming passersby. Their frail bodies were crushed inside the giant hands and the next moment their spraying blood was covering the sidewalk.

The words got stuck in her throat. How could the human body bend in such ways? Like a wrung out… fruit…

She felt bile rise up her mouth. Images flashed past her inner eye. The memories returned. No. Nononononononononono

NO NO NO

NOOOO

Her legs gave in and she fell forward.

"Aaaaaaaieieeeh!" Others had noticed the horrific sight and were starting to panic. Their faces distorted in ghastly desperation.

They were too slow. They had failed. It had already happened. The monster had found prey to feed on. They tried to keep him away from the plaza, but that was meaningless. This was a big city. People were everywhere.

Corpses.

Distorted faces.

B-b-b-blood.

" _Don't look Koyuki!"_

Her brother's voice was echoing inside her head. She had forgotten, she needed to forget, what was it that she had seen?!

Her shaking legs moved. Her vision was darkening, focused ahead like inside a long tunnel. She had to… stop that monster. Heroes… never gave up.

She walked, she ran. _She was going to catch up to the villain. Once the crime was too severe the villain always got punished. They went too far this time! Time to put them to jail! Hahaha!_

Berserker opened the large mouth with its crooked teeth and inhaled. The lifeless bodies of the people in his hands were limp, but their souls had not yet disappeared. They were caught in the torrent of the _Soul Eater_ and absorbed into Berserker's body. His armor was glowing faintly in green fire.

"Stop it! You cannot be forgiven!" Koyuki yelled at the top of her lungs.

Berserker turned around and noticed her catching up. Callously he threw the corpses at Koyuki. He had missed, but Koyuki was stopped in her tracks anyway. Blood had rained on her and the white hakama was covered in red spots, closer to the color of her lower garments.

The blood was warm and sticky. It almost broke her to look at the twisted faces of the dead. She tore her eyes away.

 _The criminal was escaping. What kind of detective would let them get away with this? That wouldn't be very heroic! Hahah!_

She pulled out Sora while running through the trail of blood. The wind spirit was still injured, but that was just her physical form. If she released her right now she would be able to force her to attack! The release chant was already on her lips…

Berserker had reached the plaza. People were stunned in surprise or plain terrified. Nobody had ever seen such a giant thing before. Blood covered or not, he demanded attention. That moment of hesitation would be their death sentence. The dark colossus began to suck in their energy. The souls of strong-willed people would resist for a bit, but the fear and mental trauma that the monster would inflict by dismembering some of them would soon break that-

"RUN AWAY!" The shout of just one who was not falling to despair broke through the stupor. He had stepped seemingly out of nowhere, but was now standing tall between the masses and Berserker.

Koyuki watched him direct the people away and then create some sort of barrier. He wasn't normal… a magus?

Berserker sucked in deeply, but the loosening souls were suddenly disconnected from him. The monster roared angrily!

Koyuki reached the plaza as well and gasped for air. Berserker slashed after the teenage boy with spiky hair. He rolled away with gritted teeth and then created a new barrier as the last one shattered the moment he moved. It seemed to be worthless against the giant's sword.

"You there! I said move it damn it!" He called out to Koyuki.

"N-no, I will help!" Koyuki stood her ground and sorted a handful of seals inside her grasp.

"I can only hold that freaky soul absorption off for a few seconds, so get awaaay!" He ducked under another wild swing, but then got hit by the shockwave of a stomp. It flung him into a bike stand and loud crashing and ringing accompanied his fall.

Koyuki rushed to his side and pulled him up. He grabbed her arm unwillingly and then rose to his feet quickly. His face was covered in sweat and his clothes were dirty.

"Shit, I knew this was a bad idea." His right hand seemed swollen. He probably hurt it during the crash. "Listen girl, I'm Akira Sakata from the Tohsaka clan. This is the landlord's job. You should get your damn Servant and beat this thing while I help the people."

"Y-you are working for the overseer of the land?" Koyuki was surprised, but not enough to forget where they were. The next moment she grabbed Sakata and dragged him out of the way of a flung trashcan. It hit the pavement so hard that it was cracked open.

"Like I have a choice." He didn't even thank her before casting another spell. The barrier this time was much more physical and deflected the incoming tree. It shattered right away though and the leaves and twigs rained down on them. "How did this happen? Why the hell is it attacking citizens?! This shitty war-" He was clearly angry, but his exhaustion was also apparent. That magecraft seemed to be really draining.

" _RRRRAAAAAARRRGH!"_

Koyuki felt a shiver across her back. Something was off. Why was Berserker throwing things at them, rather than attack directly like before? She turned around immediately and saw the huge Servant already move after the escaping people! He was throwing pieces of the surroundings after Sakata to interrupt his barrier casting! Those actions were too smart… completely sane.

"I can't keep this up…" Sakata was turning pale and then fell on one knee. "Where is she… that damn woman…?" He collapsed forward. He had fainted with the last blocked projectile hitting his final barrier.

 _The chief had lost the lead. Typical for this always angry guy, but that's why the detective was the hero after all! Time to keep up the chase!_

Koyuki moved again. It was already way past conscious intent. All she could do was keep chasing the one who was hurting people. This pure… evil… creature.

 _Just another day, another job. A criminal, a thief, maybe a gangster or a fallen samurai. Nothing special. She could bring him to judgment. The law was on her side-_

She passed the parking lot and caught up to Berserker. Her pupils shrank.

"Yuki… Yuki…?" A familiar voice called out to her. It was almost tranquil.

"Maki…san!" Koyuki recognized her. She knew her. She was her friend.

The dark hand had grabbed the petite girl around her torso and was holding her up like a doll. Berserker's disgusting mouth was pulling on her soul. Koyuki, a Onmyouji cursed with the gift of seeing spiritual energy, could see as the soul was slowly pulled out of her body.

"No… please no…" Koyuki stretched out her hands.

The school-girl was looking at her from the distance, almost curious at her terrified expression. Her short twintails were fluttering in the breeze, held so high up. She didn't seem to realize that she was dying.

"I will save you!" She shouted and then threw a seal in complete desperation. It would never reach across this distance-

 _Fwish_

An arrow pierced the seal and stabbed it straight into the arm that was holding Maki up. Four more arrows followed and skewered the arm even more.

"Archer-dono!" Her heart that had sank so deeply finally pumped again.

The Chinese soldier had appeared out of thin air right atop a car close-by. That should have been impossible. She had felt their distance… he had been far away a second ago!

"Koyuki-sama! He does not feel pain!" Archer's call made her focus again. Those words were urgent. Of course. Berserker had not once shown any receptiveness to pain. Meaning the arrows inside his arm were not enough to stop him-

"Maki-san!" Koyuki called out to her and watched the girl tilt her head. "Close your eyes!"

Her classmate nodded and then closed her murky eyes.

" _On baishiramantaya sowaka!_ " A gigantic lightning bolt hit the skewered arm and scorched it completely.

But… he did not let go. Somehow, the burned, skewered and torn arm had an unyielding strength. The monster was pulling out the girl's soul. Maki was a cheerful and strong person, so her soul was strong as well. She had resisted much longer than most people, but…

That was when a great white winged steed rammed into the giant. It was as fast as a bullet and as destructive as a freight train. The impeccable golden hooves crushed the mad Servant's armor and then pushed him into the skies with full force. Rider was sitting atop her and shouting with all her might.

Such force made even the unrelenting grasp loosen and Maki fell down like a brick.

Archer was already there to catch her and he then managed to slide across the grass and stopped next to Koyuki.

"I apologize for the delay. I will take responsibility for this failure." Archer vowed as he handed Maki over and then rushed forward casting his calm demeanor away and drawing his bow. He was furious. With a few fast jumps he was on the rooftops and following where the Pegasus had flung the armored god of death to.

Everyone had left to keep fighting… to slay the one who had done this… _this_ …

Koyuki gently put an arm below Maki's back and pulled her closer. Her eyes were still closed tightly. She had listened to Koyuki's request so seriously… it was cute.

"You can open your eyes now Maki-san." She said as warmly as she could.

"Ahaha… is this supposed to be a birthday surprise? But I already celebrated it last month." Maki said with a weak chuckle as she opened her eyes. "That's strange… I opened my eyes… but it's still really dark…" She muttered.

Koyuki felt her eyes turn hot.

"It's… the middle of the night."

"That's true!" She was convinced right away.

"W-what were you doing out here Maki-san? So late-"

"I could ask you the same thing!"

"Eh… I was just…" Koyuki's words got stuck in her throat. She couldn't keep up the act.

"Why was I here? Right… right! The truth is I was looking for SakiSaki." She explained a little air-headedly.

"Sakiko-sama?"

"Yup… she is always hanging out around here at night. She doesn't get along with her folks, so she just stays out all the time… Oops! I wasn't supposed to tell that to anyone. Forget everything!"

"I-I won't tell anybody."

"Ehehe, I know! YukiYuki is a good girl. Just like Saki… she really needs a friend, but she always acts tough…" Maki moved her hand to her own face to make a gesture, but she missed it and hit her chest instead.

" _You_ are her friend."

"She would never admit that." Maki pouted. "I thought if I met her 'by accident' tonight I could maybe find out what she's doing all the time." There was more energy to her voice for a moment.

"I am sure Sakiko-sama appreciates your actions…" Koyuki sniffed.

"I hope… huh? Yuki? Are you crying?" Maki touched her face and felt the wetness.

"Sorry… I… couldn't do anything…" Koyuki's hot tears streamed down her face as she grabbed Maki's cold hand.

Her other hand had put three seals on Maki's chest already. Every single one was a life boosting Kuji-in. Her soul had been broken already. No matter what Koyuki tried, she could not give her enough life force back.

"…" Maki fell silent for a moment. Then she tenderly spoke. "You can always try harder next time. That's what I always do. If you want to help Saki that much, I'm sure you'll find a way."

"It's not about-" Koyuki shook her head as her voice broke.

"It's okay." Suddenly Maki moved and embraced her.

"!"

"I don't even feel any pain anymore. Something warm just spread all over me and now I feel nice and comfy. It was probably YukiYuki's kindness."

Koyuki buried her face in Maki's shoulder and suppressed her cries.

"Uhm… if I could make one more request…"

"An… anything."

"Tell Saki that I'm sorry… My parents too. I didn't want anybody to worry." Her weak arms had long since stopped the embrace, but Koyuki was holding on to her with all her might.

"I will!" The hot tears pouring from her eyes stained Maki's uniform, but she probably didn't feel it anymore.

"I am happy to have made such a nice new friend. I know you were amazing the first time… I saw… you…"

The words trickled away as did the last breath of an innocent young girl. A light blue string had appeared above her head and then, as if to signify the severed life itself, it was cut.

A one-sided embrace connected them temporarily like an ephemeral flower that was soon to wilt.

Koyuki wailed in the uncaring night as the war carried on.


	35. Incandescence

**I apologize for the long delay. A chain of unfortunate events prevented me from writing much recently, but from here on out everything's back to normal.  
**

* * *

 **Incandescence**

* * *

It stood tall and lonely in the hills, amid many lengthy fields. A building seemingly older than the land it stood on, sporting a more Western design, even if one of bygone eras. Everything about it reeked of the supernatural. A cursed mansion that children would dare each other to break into or some old property the city would long since have turned into a remote hotel for the ever growing borders of Matsumae.

Nobody ever tried though. Not one of these average people had even taken notice of the place. Indeed, whenever they roamed close, this sizeable mansion was melting into the background. If asked what was in this special location, most would have replied an old abandoned farm building or something of the kind. Their replies were vague and uncertain.

The mansion swallowed all of its surroundings and blended them together until it became a mirage. This was what the Tohsaka mansion's explicit purpose would always be. A hiding place for those who did not wish to mingle with the world of the ordinary.

Akira Sakata was neither of those things. He did not have any interest in hiding nor did he fail to see what it really was. It was going by many names. A workshop, a school and even a base of operations. But to him it would always be a…

"Sakata, is that you?" The deep voice of Stahl caught him in his reverie. He moved through the barrier that blocked out all evil (and what was evil entirely depended on the mistress' mood). The tall bodyguard was moving quickly, which was a clear sign of things going wrong. Usually Stahl tried to use as little energy as possible in all his actions.

"I'm back." Akira replied with a deep sigh. He scratched his spiky hair and felt the sweat and dirt stick to his fingers. He needed to take a shower soon.

"The mistress is waiting for your report." The bald mage was patting him on the back with a bit too much force to push him over the edge of the doorstep. "Things turned out quite ugly, hm?"

"…you have no idea." Akira clicked his tongue. He couldn't stand Stahl's always composed expression. This guy wasn't even human. Everyone else they passed was on high alert and showing the appropriate gloom for such a disaster.

Akira watched the dust move inside the cones of light that were penetrating the tiny gaps in the wooden boards to his right. They had managed to repair the mansion's façade quite fast, but the interior was far from presentable. It had taken some serious convincing to calm Ryouko down that day. She was already about to make them repair it all then and there, but they weren't carpenters. The Grail War was binding so many of them to constant patrols and supervision as well, so they couldn't spare the time to fix everything. In the end appearances was all what Ryouko cared about, so after the wall was repaired she was 'lenient' with them.

Like it was their fault that she couldn't control her damn Servant's rampage. Suzuki had been inside the kitchen at the time and was wounded heavily by flying shrapnel. Not that the exalted mistress even deemed to acknowledge it.

"I think I got a good picture of things." Stahl said resolutely and then stopped in front of the library. Akira raised a brow and looked up to the scarred bodyguard. "The mistress is still teaching Kyouko-sama."

"You can't be serious." He slammed his fist against the wall with a rush of anger.

"Careful, I will put you on repair duty for the west wing if you break anything." Stahl crossed his arms and glared down on Akira. Not that he seemed really all that bothered.

"The sun is already up!" Akira whispered as loud as he could so he wouldn't be overheard. "She's exhausting Kyouko-chan again. How can she just do this to her daughter?" Every day she would drill lessons into her until she was too tired to even speak. Whenever she got something wrong she would have to start from scratch again. He had seen those 'lessons'. He had watched Kyouko's pale face move across dark hallways in the middle of the night, trying to find her room with half-closed eyes. Her fingers red, sometimes her neck and arms were…

"I will just ignore the inappropriate way you speak of the young mistress for now." Stahl put a hand on Akira's shoulder to forcefully drag him away from the bubbling heat building inside his mind. "Kyouko-sama's training is vitally important for the Tohsaka clan. The mistress puts aside a lot of time for her thorough education and takes on all the extra work without complaint. Try to see it from her perspective sometimes boy."

Maybe Stahl was well meaning with his little speech, but to Akira it just sounded like empty preaching. Stahl was a man sent from the outside, yet he acted like he had always been at Ryouko's side. The definition of indoctrinated!

"I'll give her a whole lot more work to think about." He loosened Stahl's steel like grip and then knocked on the door.

The bodyguard sighed ruefully and then stepped aside. "I have to coordinate the next patrol, so good luck to you." His long strides were unaffected by fatigue unlike Akira's heavy knocks.

To his confusion there was no response at all. He had made sure to be not too impatient or forceful, but she should still have been able to hear him. The library was not big enough to muffle the sound. It couldn't be… did they actually fall asleep? Akira shook his head. That assumption would require the old harpy to actually be human. Sometimes he doubted that she even blinked.

Several more knocks did not change his situation much, so he decided to be bold and just pushed the old blackened door handle down. The creaking door swung open surprisingly easy and Akira stepped into the dusty room with a forced empty expression. What greeted him inside put his poker face to the test right away.

"…these all wrong. Must I repeat myself again? The symbols are ordained to the dagger as the flame is to the wick." Ryouko was standing behind her daughter and leaning forward, aggravated.

"I-I did not try to-"

" _Trying_ is not the Tohsaka way. We accomplish. You will complete this task perfectly on the next try. Otherwise we have to go back to the same dull punishments again."

"N-no! That won't be necessary! I will do it, I really will!" The shaking in her hands got worse as she grabbed the utensils and the dagger all at once.

"From the very beginning Kyouko." Ryouko's icy voice was uncompromising as she pulled the items out of her daughter's hand forcefully.

"Yes… mother." The blonde girl lowered her head. From this angle she appeared to be so sad and frustrated. If she began from the start she would need at least a few hours to finish another ceremonial dagger like that. Despite her tiredness she would be forced to continue. Her concentration could only get worse…

The mistress had no regard for the frailty of her own flesh and blood. Instead she even threatened her with 'punishments'. Akira bit his lip so painfully that it sent a jolt down his jaw.

"This is simple work. Mere study of the arts that have been bestowed on even the lowest of magi across the world. You have worked on your own magecraft, but the results are unbelievably meager. That is why we are going over the basics again, understood?"

"Of course mother." Kyouko nodded slowly and picked up a new piece of iron and an engraving tool.

"As a Tohsaka you cannot fall behind those louts and commoners outside. I will not allow them to outshine you, but it is _your_ task and purpose to surpass them. If _he_ had not stolen precious years from us… if this foolish man would just have yielded." Ryouko crossed her arms below her bosom and paced around the table, like a tiger trapped inside a cage. "This no-good fatalistic fool-!"

"Mother!" Suddenly Kyouko raised her voice. "Father… please don't speak about father like that." She clasped her chest, but never looked up from the desk.

"He has poisoned you so deeply." Ryouko's face shifted to a more devious expression. She was glaring down on her daughter, but at the same time she seemed to see somebody else. "If it hadn't been for him we could be long past such trivialities. Do you not see how he stole this precious - this unimaginably important - youth from you? To shape you, to make you into the perfect successor, that is the only wish your mother has. This is my gift to you. My greatest duty. Curse your father, child, because _he_ is putting you through this ordeal, not me." She put her hands on the desk, digging her dark colored nails into the wood. "The family motto!"

" _Always carry yourself with elegance_." Kyouko faithfully repeated the Tohsaka family motto.

"And the second half?"

"Let that elegance… lead you to success."

"Burn those words into your soul, child. Never let them leave you, not even in death. That cursed Tokiomi and his demonic brat have always lived without ambition. That is why he…" She adjusted her glasses with a swift movement and then went quiet. "Sakata, stop standing in the doorway, gaping like some buffoon already."

Akira felt a chill down his neck. The change in her behavior was inhuman. Although she had not shown any sign of recognition, she had noticed him. It couldn't have been for very long though, or she would never have acted like this. He closed the door as he was told and then moved through the overflowing shelves.

"!" Kyouko looked up from her work when she heard his name and threw a surprised glance his way. He could tell that her red eyes were filled with relief. Yeah, he was finally here for her! Seeing her soft red eyes made his heart jump. He had trouble tearing his eyes away from her.

"We are in the middle of a lesson, so hurry up." Ryouko cut off his line of sight with her body.

"Sorry." He pressed out an apology while looking down to his feet. Ryouko did not like eye-contact by her subordinates. In truth he just couldn't stand to look into her monstrous eyes. "I have come to give my report on the battle at Nakota plaza."

"I am aware of that. Out with it already." Her impatience was like a silver dagger to his gut.

"Four Servants have been engaged in battle this night. I think it were Archer, Berserker, Rider and one I couldn't identify."

"You 'think'? I will not accept that Sakata."

"…I only saw most of them from a distance. Except for the one who was _rampaging through the crowds_ across the plaza. That one was definitely a Berserker." He said between gritted teeth. There was no way he could suppress the accusatory tone in his voice.

"The results of the battle?" Ryouko urged him on without giving his implication any weight.

"The result?"

Akira recollected the events of the night. After being knocked out cold he had drifted through a painful darkness. When he regained consciousness the plaza was destroyed and there were corpses left and right. The victims of Berserker's soul absorbing ability. He had failed these people. With unsteady legs he had forced himself up and moved through the city. The sounds of clashing steel were still ringing in his ears.

"One of them was riding a winged horse… she was just flinging that Berserker around." Those giant hooves had been crushing the street just as badly as they cracked the armor.

"Servant Rider. There is no doubt." Ryouko concluded. Unlike Akira, she would not call it an assumption.

"There was another one that I couldn't see well. He kept shooting at him from a distance." It was obvious why he assumed that it was an Archer. Ryouko seemed to think so as well. "They kept fighting Berserker for a while, but he didn't retreat or back down. It was… insane. The horse kept kicking him, but he swung that slab of a sword around so fast that he almost cut its wings off. The arrows didn't even bother him."

"I expect nothing more of subpar heroes." Ryouko didn't seem to be interested in the details at all. When she said 'results' she really meant it, huh?

"It was weird. Even though the huge guy wasn't losing, he stopped fighting all of a sudden. The sun was already rising and then he just ran off." He still couldn't comprehend it. That destructive killing machine had just turned completely passive and retreated. It was like the light of day itself had cast away the shadowy silhouette of death…

"Berserker retreated? He cannot be as strong as I thought then. Unless his owner called him back. Would she really act so hapharzadly?" She adjusted her glasses with one finger and seemed to file the info away in her mental folders. "What did the other Servants do afterwards?"

"They left as well, in separate directions." The Tohsaka were aware of the alliance between those two. They had been seen moving together for a few days now. Other than that, information was sparse on the Masters. At least they didn't seem to have a combined base of operations.

"What about the fourth Servant you mentioned?"

"That's… I only saw him briefly. He was chased by the Archer, but didn't return since then."

"His weapon?"

"I didn't see it." He had only arrived late into the battle. Chasing them down through the damaged buildings had been a chore. He also couldn't get too close or he would have been noticed, barrier or not.

"You didn't follow them?"

"I couldn't damn… I was still too worn out." He bit his tongue.

"Things are proceeding slower than expected." Ryouko turned his back to him and looked out the window. The sun was caressing the sunflower field in a golden hue. Her glasses reflected that divine shine.

Akira watched her with furrowed brows. Despite her words, she seemed satisfied. Nothing about her body language said that she found these news troubling. _How_ could she be so confident? Ever since the war began this woman had not moved one step outside her territory. She was completely inert, yet somehow everything was going according to plan?

"Excuse my rudeness, but…" He could feel that he was losing grip on his mask. The stress would pry it off soon! "Why were there no reinforcements?! I called for support right away!" His voice had gotten louder already.

"Hm? I sent out our best men to alter the memories of the public. They have already erased all traces of the incident as we speak." Ryouko was glancing at him from the side.

Memory alteration? What was she on about? How was that going to fix anything?!

"Ryouko….- _sama_!" He forced himself to appeal to her. "Many people died tonight, because there was nobody to evacuate them or divert them from the fighting." He clutched his fist. "I tried my best, but I failed! That's why I asked for _support_ , not the clean-up crew!"

"Are you questioning my methods?"

Shit. Now he had gotten her attention alright. Her raven hair was bound as tightly as her secrets, but when she turned his way with that piercing glare, he almost felt like it was him inside an icy cage.

"You… you are the lord of land!" He couldn't take it anymore. He faced her directly. This was the breaking point. "Those people out there are your responsibility! I almost died out there as well. I am not saying you need to save everyone, but why have you been sitting inside this mansion doing nothing this entire time. You have such a powerful Servant, so why-!?"

" **Silence**."

One word was enough to extinguish all the fire inside his heart and drown the echoes of his agitated impulses inside a tightly sealed box. As if a magic command had cursed him, he closed his mouth and lowered his head again. His muscles stiffened up in fear.

"You have spoken enough Sakata. Anything more will be treated as insubordination and a betrayal of the Tohsaka clan." She stepped forward and each muffled clacking of her shoes on the carpet made him shiver.

Why did he feel… so… powerless?

"You are a mutt." Her voice was now right in front of him, yet he dared not look up. Even though she was about his height, he felt like he was infinitely tiny compared to her towering presence. "I have saved you from that cesspit where you vegetated day in, day out, like the scum you are. I have fed and clothed you, have elevated you above those commoners. Who made you a magus? Who taught you the truth of this world? Who gave you _purpose_?"

Her words seeped into his ears like venomous fangs and poisoned his brain. Even though he wanted to protest, he could not.

Elevated? He had left the lowest of society to end up at the bottom of yet another pyramid. There was no salvation in the Tohsaka clan.

Taught him? He had not learned a single thing from this woman, except to never trust anyone. All she did was delegate work among them. Those precious skills he had acquired were all self-taught or copied from the other 'students'. Never would she lower herself to teach them anything. There was no nurturing in the Tohsaka clan.

Purpose? To serve a fickle mistress for a goal that was not his own? There was no future in the Tohsaka clan.

Why then? Why could he not voice those complaints? Why could he not defy this harpy? Was it out of a sense of obligation? To repay the kindness shown to him, if only for an ever so brief moment? Was there even a sliver of loyalty to such a ice woman?

"Mother." A clear voice broke through the walls of dizzying thought and shined upon the darkness that Ryouko had wrapped around him. The net of guilt and lies was torn apart in an instant. "It's not Akira-kun's intention to defy you."

Although he was thankful for her support, he could not help but flinch. She had called him so familiarly right in front of the mistress. She was raising a brow, but did not reveal any other thoughts on it.

"Have you finished your work?"

"Er… n-no, but-"

"Then you should stay quiet and focus child." It was an order.

This is where it would have ended on any other day. But something was different about the atmosphere in the room this time. Kyouko folded her white gloved hands (similar to her mother's) together in a sort of self-assuring prayer. The she looked up to Ryouko's indiscernible expression.

"Please listen to him. Akira-kun and everyone else just want the best for you and the clan. W-we are Tohsaka and we r-rise to any challenge." She could barely prevent her stuttering. The golden locks were shacking as much as her spirit.

"…" Ryouko did not reply immediately. Instead she mustered her daughter very closely.

"W-we… no, _you_ are so strong mother. I know you have a plan. You always do." She gulped. "B-but all those innocent people are dying on your land and we could do something-"

"What do you know?" Ryouko cut her off abruptly. She stepped forward and put a hand on Kyouko's head. "I am doing all of this for _you_. Why do you have to question your mother so?"

"I know…" Kyouko was frozen. The hand on her smooth hair was far from gentle. The touch itself was as cold as ice. Akira could see her shivering.

"This is the world I am preparing you for. Your mind is still weak. _His_ will still shackles your potential. Leave everything to mother. Give yourself to the clan and it will all become clear." The tongue of that woman could not be anything but a cursed object. Its effects were paralyzing.

' _Let go of her you bitch._ ' Akira kept yelling inside his head, but he was still not ready to move.

"I know you are right." Kyouko nodded slowly. "It's my fault… it's my fault that you have to suffer."

What? No! She could not actually think that!

"That is right." Ryouko agreed and intensified her grip on her daughter. "I will carry your sin. I will make up for your weakness. All I ask of you in return is to devote your life to the future of our line."

"Our bloodline." Kyouko mumbled.

"Those nobodies vanished, because they were weak as well. They were not special, like us. Ignorant people will suffer for their sins. My duty as the overseer of this land and this war is not to protect those sinners; it is to take care of the world that lies beyond. The Clocktower watches us closely, so do not show weakness. The Church has already impeded on our land, so do not show them your back."

"Of course." Kyouko submitted.

"Sakata."

"Yes…!"

"I forgive you." She said calmly. "Your feelings for those commoners are misguided. That is another shackle that has been stuck to you from your previous life. As a student of this school you will grow past your weakness as well. One day Kyouko will become the greatest magus this world has ever seen. Then you will serve her with your life as you do for me right now."

Everything this woman said was a lie or an atrocity against human decency. He had hated her for far too long to ever forgive her. And yet…

"I swear I will always be at her side. Forever." He bowed his head and agreed wholeheartedly. Those were his true feelings. Kyouko was his light in this endlessly deep well of murky waters.

"Very well. You are dismissed. Rest for now and double your efforts from now on." She waved him out of the room and then turned towards the window again. Her sharp eyes seemed to be moving pieces on an imaginary board every waking hour.

Truly, she could not be human.

* * *

Somewhere under the city, below the coarse cement of an old building, was a cavern. A natural space eroded by rain and groundwater. There was no safe entrance, not even an opening that a child could have slipped through. The cracked rock of the foundation was jagged and sharp, discouraging anyone from attempting to enter this chasm. It was a slit that would not have been out of place above any dark abyss.

If one however dared to climb forward and then passed the deadly maws of the earth, suddenly a new opening could be found behind stalactites. A thin man would have been able to fit through quite well. Following that opening was a long rocky decline. One misstep on the wet rock surface would mean impalement.

At the lowest point of this cave was a small reservoir of gathered clear water. The constant water drops kept the surface in an ever changing rippling pattern. If one watched it long enough it would eventually hypnotize and make one lose sense of reality. Any reflection through the dim light above was distorted beyond recognition.

But this cavern was dark. Darker than even the night or the depth of the ocean. It was unnatural. Terrifying.

At the center of this web of darkness was a dot. The swirling ripples of water reflected that white point. It didn't move, could not move, but each swirl let it grow. Expand. Until the white formed something resembling a face. A mask.

 _Splash._

From above the sound of parting water was echoing into the cave. As the clear liquid splashed down it was reflected in a million sparkles across the cave and then swallowed by the same darkness as the rest of it.

But now there was something more than black and white inside the cave. Red had mingled into the ripples. A single drop of oil could sully dozens of liters or water. This blood was worse than any oil. This blood was cursed.

The entire reservoir turned red on a single drop hitting its surface. The white mask was swallowed by it and suddenly darkness turned into a red veil!

"YOU BASTARD!" The shout of a wounded beast was shaking the brittle cave walls.

A man crashed into the water and splashed around madly. The water had turned the same red as the blood that was gushing from his side. He yelled and growled and turned endlessly until the water had washed away the blood. He coughed up a mix of red and black, an undefined mass of some kind.

"Argghh ack krrkk…!" He spat out the gooey mass and held his open side. The organs were forcefully stuffed back inside and the man that was more of a beast bit into his own flesh to suppress the pain.

The spasms and convulsion stopped after a few minutes and the man regained himself. The red was dispersing inside the water and eventually it turned from red to black. The curse was washing across the rocks like toxic waste.

The mask returned inside the reflection next to the man who was submerged up to his waist.

"Master." It spoke without moving its mouth. It was only a mask after all.

"Haaah… rrrrgh… I told you…" He moved his hand and the open wound had disappeared. Only puss and burned skin were left of the once deadly injury. His steps were unsteady yet, but in a second his glazed eyes were looking upwards.

The twisted demonic hand grabbed into the darkness… and grasped it!

"Kekeke!" The mask cackled as it was slammed against the walls.

"I told you not to interfere masked bitch!" He screamed with hatred that surpassed the spectrum of sanity. He rammed the shadowy figure into the next row of razor-sharp rocks and then headbutted it down into the ground.

"Keehehehe… Masteeeer!" The masked figure seemed delighted somehow. "You are a beast! An animal!" The cackling continued even after the shadow had been beaten so severely.

Leroy Derickson regained his breath and then slid down the wall and unto his behind. His killing intent was undeniable, but he did not lay hand on his Servant again.

Inside the shadows the figure gained shape and the cracked mask reformed.

"If I had not interfered you would be dead." The Servant's voice echoed from every direction.

"The fuck are you tryin' to say?! I wouldn't have lost to that guy!" Leroy spat out a broken tooth and held his demonic looking arm which slowly turned back to human form.

"Keheheh." The figure did not reply. It was obvious that it was right. The man with the brass knuckles, Lewy du Rézny, was powerful and skilled. Even a beast like Leroy had only escaped death by a hair's breadth.

"I've been lettin' you do your own shit until now. Your boring schemes don't interest me at all." He cracked his jaw. "But if ya ever lay hand on my prey again, I'll kill you first."

The following glare was underlined by an unfitting blue glow.

 **Assassin** felt the infinitely compelling force of the Command Seal constrict his very being.

"Don't touch that man. _He is mine_."

Assassin chuckled into his black cape. Yes, this was the Master he wanted. This was the _best_. A single-minded beast suited him just fine!

"I will not kill anyone you are interested in as long as our contract lasts. You have my solemn vows." He bowed his masked head deeply and melded back with the darkness. His long wiry haired ponytail was shimmering for a moment before it sank into the ceiling.

He would let his Master play with his prey as much as he wanted. The mask had other targets in its sights anyway.


	36. Interlude: Phantasm Corner (Part 2)

**Unlike my integrity, the Servant Sheets in the Phantasm Corner are actually real. They apply to the main story.**

 **U** ** **nlike anything said by the characters in general in here,** if you are interested in the sheets, you can safely believe this info.  
**

* * *

 **Phantasm Corner Part 2:**

Again our eyes are drawn to this most anomalous space, beyond reason and common sense. A place that has been declared a Phantasm of its own: The **Phantasmal Maze**!

GG-sensei: "UNFORGIVABLE!"

Isao: "Huh?! What-? No; I swear I was awake!"

He pulled himself up from the hedge he had been stuck in and anxiously looked around for the source of the yelling.

Isao: "Oh no, how did I end up here again? I'm even wearing this scratchy track suit again."

GG-sensei: "This is a travesty! An affront to justice!"

Isao: "Calm down already Caster-"

GG-sensei: *glare*

Isao: "I mean… sensei?"

He sighed. At least she seemed to be satisfied by his reply.

Isao: "What's the big deal? Why are you throwing a tantrum this time?"

GG-sensei: "Isn't it obvious Assistant #2? We were forgotten!"

Isao: "Pardon?"

GG-sensei: "We were pushed aside like some second rate TV-show. This is worse than cancellation! Do you know just how long it has been since the last Phantasm Corner?!"

Isao: "I had kinda hoped this was a one-time thing."

GG-sensei: "If I wasn't such a kind and forgiving soul, this would mean war."

She huffed and slapped her cricket bat inside her hand repeatedly before finally calming down.

Isao: "How gracious of you…"

GG-sensei: "Indeed. Just imagine what would happen to those poor lost souls that wander the maze if I was not here to guide them."

Isao: "I still don't get why there is a hedge maze around this cricket field, but are there really any people here, other than us anyway?"

GG-sensei: "Hmmmm. Let me check!"

She extended her arms into air as if she was asking for energy, but nothing happened. After a few second a bolt of light passed her head and she looked delighted.

GG-sensei: "We have some **wandering phantoms** this time. Rejoice Assistant #2!"

Isao: "Those poor bastards."

GG-sensei: "If they make it out of the maze they will be worthy of my advice. This shall be their test fufufu~"

Sensei looked at the maze's exit with a wide smile and lots of expectations. Isao just squatted down on the grass and put his face into his hand.

Minutes passed.

Hours passed.

And undefined time passed, due to the fact that this world lacked any kind of sun or clocks to measure it.

Isao: "They aren't coming."

GG-sensei: "I noticed!"

She squinted at the exit as if she wanted to burn it down to ashes. But as the master of this strange realm she had other options available to her. She flicked her hand and in response the hedge rumbled and shifted!

In mere moments the entire layout had changed and now the thing was one long straight line.

Isao: "Isn't that cheating?"

He remarked dryly.

GG-sensei: "I never said they had to be _outstandingly_ worthy."

Isao: "You could just be honest for once."

His muttering was ignored as two silhouettes appeared in the distance. They were walking down the incredibly direct line to the exit with cautious steps. The woman took helm and walked in front of the boy. She was wearing full armor and exceptionally beautiful.

Shige: "Rider-san, I think we reached the exit."

Rider: "Stay right behind me Shige. This place is very wrong."

GG-sensei: "How rude. This space is as far from being wrong as you are from being a shy village maiden."

Rider: "!"

She drew her lance the moment she noticed Sensei and Isao. Shige peeked out from her side and looked on curiously.

GG-sensei: "There is no need for hostility! I welcome you into my world, the Phantasm Corner! This is a peaceful land created for the sake of understanding and education!"

Isao: "That's news to me."

GG-sensei: "Do not mind my grumpy Assistant. He has been lacking in screen time lately, so he feels inadequate a lot."

Isao: "Hey!"

Rider: "What foul sorcery have you devised this time Caster?"

GG-sensei: "Ixnay on the Class stuff! Over here I'm simply Great Great Sensei!"

Shige: "Wow, you must be _really_ great."

He smiled vaguely and stepped past defensive Rider. She let her lance sink, but didn't seem convinced.

GG-sensei: "Incidentally there is a special role for everyone here. From here on I shall call you… ahem… Great Minor!"

Shige: "Seriously?! I'll be 18 soon!"

He didn't seem to mind the 'Great' part though.

GG-sensei: "Compared to everyone else here you are naught but a chick! My decrees are absolute boy!"

Her finger spun a few times and made him float up. She grinned as he let his head sink submissively.

Rider: "Let him go or you will taste my steel."

GG-sensei: "I did not forget about you! If he is the Great Minor then you are… uh… Great Senior I guess!"

Rider: "You jest?"

GG-sensei: "Not at all~"

She flicked her fingers and the lance pointed at her throat turned into a bouquet of wild flowers. Rider watched this happen with a poker face, but eventually let go of the pretty plants and coughed. Shige fell on his butt as Sensei released him.

GG-sensei: "Wonderful. The world would be so nice if everyone would just be peaceful and submit to me."

Shige: "I don't like this dream. Can someone wake me up?"

Isao: "I wish that was an option too, kiddo."

GG-sensei: "Enough out of you naysayers! Great Senior and Minor have come here to ask for advice and to talk about themselves, so I will grant them this opportunity. Please speak up Great Senior and Minor - or _Great S &M_ for short!"

Isao: "What's your obsession with that stuff…?"

Rider: "You will grant us advice? Why should we need anything like that from you?"

Rider was giving her a doubtful look.

GG-sensei: "Come oooon, you can't tell me you never had thought of asking a higher being for sage advice."

Rider: "I had quite enough of those 'higher beings' telling me what to do."

GG-sensei: "Your rejecting attitude is so not attractive."

Rider: "…!"

She grabbed her elbow and twitched slightly in response to that accusation. Sensei noticed it of course.

GG-sensei: "Oho~? Did I hit a nerve? Could it be that our stalwart Valkyrie is actually self-conscious?"

Rider: "H-hold your tongue witch."

Rider blushed slightly and glared daggers at her. That was already a victory to the all-powerful girl in a cricket uniform.

Shige: "…"

GG-sensei: "Look, even the boy is stunned by your blush. This is much better already."

Rider: "Shige…"

Shige: "I didn't do anything!"

GG-sensei: "Don't be shy Great Minor! We can all tell how much you look at her all the time, especially in that other world. Oh to be young again~"

Isao: "How old are you exactly?"

GG-sensei: "Hush. I thought we finished that topic last time Assistant."

Remembering the not so peaceful turn of events, Isao quietly backed off.

Rider: "Shige is my Master, nothing more, nothing less. Your crude implications besmirch both him and me."

Shige: "L-let's not get too hung up on that-"

Rider: "Shige would rather lay down his life right now than to dishonor me by looking at me as a woman!"

Shige: "Rider-san?!"

GG-sensei: "Is that true, young man?"

Sensei was getting her fill of amusement out of this for sure. She barely contained a snicker.

Shige: "Uhm…. I mean… I wouldn't go _that_ far…"

He was sweating profusely.

Rider: "You do not need to feign modesty. Shige has become a man that I can trust with my entire soul. He is a comrade and truly honorable."

Shige: "Please stop…"

GG-sensei: "Such high praise! Maybe you are correct. Although he is a hormone filled teenager with an attention complex, he still did jump in front of a Noble Phantasm to protect you. That was truly foolish, just as much as it was romantic~"

Shige covered his face with both hands.

Rider: "I regret that it had to come to that, but the tides of battle are unpredictable."

Apparently the second part of Sensei's comment went in on one ear and out the other. Or did it? She turned towards her protégé and crossed her arms.

Rider: "I am certain that he had no ulterior motives. Right Shige?"

Shige: "Sensei!"

He suddenly called out to the master of this realm.

GG-sensei: "Yes my lost lamb?"

Shige: "I want advice on how to get out of this situation."

He whispered to the lilac haired girl with one hand shielding his mouth.

Sensei grinned like the Cheshire cat. Isao watched things unfold with sympathy.

GG-sensei: "That is easy indeed! To wind yourself out of a difficult query of a strong woman, you merely need to distract her with a new goal!"

She clapped her hand and in the next moment Shige disappeared inside a purple smoke cloud.

Shige: "Eh?"

He stood in an unfamiliar place all of a sudden. Maybe _standing_ was a bit of a misnomer. He actually was floating. Above a deep pit full of _slithering_ things. Gravity seemed to have taken a short break for him, but that was only an ephemeral lag in space-time.

Shige: _"GYAAAAAH!"_

Rider: "What did you do to him?! Where has he gone?"

GG-sensei: "Ahaha, my apologies. My spell must have been off. _Witchcraft_ is so complex; I must have accidentally sent him back into the maze. Right around the **pit of horrors**."

Rider: "Shiiiige!"

Rider pulled up her flute and summoned Gyllir from a portal. The winged steed seemed confused for a moment, but immediately took off with her rider. They flew over the hedge maze to search for the unfortunate high school boy.

Isao: "Was that really necessary?"

GG-sensei: "She called me a witch, so I had to fulfill her expectations."

She shrugged benignly.

Isao: "Talk about vengeful."

GG-sensei: "Non non, I actually saved that boy's hide. Now his beautiful knight in shining armor will be too distracted with saving him to inquire deeply about his true feelings."

Isao: "That's a deal with the devil if I ever heard of one. Hopefully not all of your advice is that mean-spirited."

GG-sensei: "You hurt me Assistant #2. All I do is for the sake of those wandering phantoms."

She put her hands on her hips and smiled satisfied.

Isao: "What's the 'pit of horrors' anyway?"

GG-sensei: "It's a place where you face your greatest fears as illusions that seem **ultra-realistic**."

Shige: "NOOOO! Why is the spaghetti alive!? The sauce is in my eyes…. It buuurns!"

Isao: "…."

GG-sensei: "We do not question the pit."

Isao rubbed his unkempt hair and sighed. There was no helping it; they were all at the mercy of a nutjob. Not the first time for him sadly.

Isao: "Now that you scared off our guests we can't discuss their Servant status screen though."

Sensei's smile broke like cracking bedrock.

GG-sensei: "I forgooooot!"

Isao: "Seriously?!"

GG-sensei: "D-do not panic Assistant! I readied some random Servant sheet for today! This is info on that monstrous ruffian with the bad teeth hygiene!"

* * *

 **Class:** Berserker

 **Name:** Thanatos

 **Master:** Naoka Ootori

 **Gender:** Male

 **Age:** Unknown

 **Alignment:** Evil Mad

 **Personality:**

With the Mad Enhancement activated, he has become a complete killing machine. Cannot think and speak properly.

At times the mad enhancement weakens by itself, due to his divine origins. His master bound him to the mad enhancement, but she left it loose enough for him to use his Noble Phantasms. She also left him with the ability to deactivate it at will. In those instances he is actually able to talk. But even with a somewhat clear state of mind he doesn't think of anything besides killing, because of his blood rush.

Despite his inherent madness and hatred, he always respects his promises and contracts. He will not break a vow, even if it would mean to end his rampage for good.

He has a tendency to devour people to replenish his prana.

 **Background:**

 _Thanatos_ is the personification of death and mortality in Greek Mythology. In the Greek Poem, Theogony, Thanatos (Greek: θάνατος - Death) is one of the sons of _Nyx_ , goddess of the Night and _Erebos_ , the primordial god of Darkness. He is the elder twin brother of _Hypnos_ , god of Sleep. In the earliest mythological accounts, Thanatos is the harbinger of peaceful death, bringing eternal sleep to the world alongside his brother.

As the ages progressed and humans became bolder in their actions, defying the gods, Thanatos character changed in response to the mortals' arrogance and the Olympians' folly and disrespect.

It is said that Thanatos was never graced by the sun's light, no matter where he went, be it _Tartarus_ or the heavens above. He was always clad in the shadow of his parents.

Characterized as indiscriminate and merciless, Thanatos is detested by all and he hates them in return, all too happy to bring mortals to their fated end. Thanatos is perceived by Greek poets as a fearsome, sword-wielding, shaggy bearded specter and fierce of countenance. He is a harbinger of suffering and grief, and his coming was marked by pain, a sign that he preferred to work with his devious siblings _Oizys_ (goddess of Suffering), _Moros_ (personification of Doom) and _Keres_ (embodiment of Violent Death).

Despite his important task he had taken a background role for most of Greek mythology, only occasionally mingling with the other gods' schemes and sophistry. His iron-hearted will and nature made him cold to any bribery or foolishness, as befitting of someone with such an important role. This nature was also the reason he was disliked by mortals and the gods alike. He had no love for his fellow deities who regarded him with ridicule. Indeed the only one who might have seen him as an equal was mild mannered Hypnos.

Perhaps his most famous appearance was when he was humiliated by _King Sisyphus_ of Korinth. When it came time for Sisyphus to die, _Zeus_ ordered Thanatos to chain Sisyphus up in Tartarus. Sisyphus cheated death by tricking Thanatos into his own shackles, thereby prohibiting the demise of any mortal while Thanatos was so enchained. Eventually Ares, the bloodthirsty god of war, grew frustrated with the battles he incited since neither side suffered any casualties. He released Thanatos and handed his captor over to the god.

Sisyphus would evade Death a second time by convincing _Persephone_ to allow him to return to his wife stating that she never gave him a proper funeral. This time, Sisyphus was forcefully dragged back to the Underworld by _Hermes_ when Sisyphus refused to accept his death. Sisyphus was sentenced to an eternity of frustration in Tartarus where he rolled a boulder up a hill and it would roll back down when he got close to the top.

The flames of Thanatos' hatred were fanned yet again when the greatest hero, Heracles, defied him as well and wrestled him into submission to prevent him from reaping the life of _Queen Alkestis_. Defeated and cheated, Thanatos retreated without his quarry. The demi-god was just one more mistake the high and mighty Zeus had committed.

These were the two times mortals had managed to cheat death itself, a legendary feat, as Thanatos was perceived as the ultimate inescapable fate. Without him the world would be thrown into chaos, lacking true death as the reaper of their souls was absent. It was a thankless task, but he never wavered in his duty.

 **Ambition:** To undo the humiliations he suffered by the hands of mortals.

 **Weapons/Treasures:**

Thanatos' sword, Black Torch, Armor of Mors and Hades Chains

 **Class Abilities:**

Mad Enhancement:

 **Rank C:** Rank up for all parameters except Luck and Mana, but in exchange one can no longer think and speak properly. Due to special circumstances this ability can be turned on and off.

 **Individual Skills:**

Divinity:

 **Rank A+:** Divinity is the measure of whether one has Divine Spirit aptitude or not. At high levels one is treated as a mixed race of a Divine Spirit, and the level declines when the Heroic Spirit's own rank as a _Monster_ or _Demonic Beast_ raises. It can also decrease due to one's dislike for the gods. It also has an effect which reduces special defensive values called "purge defense" in proportion to the Divinity's Rank. It can break through Skills such as _Protection of the Faith_.

While being a true Greek god in concept he is summoned closer to the existence of a vengeful monster. His hatred for mortals is only trumped by his disgust for the gods. Thus his divinity is lowered below the level of a deity.

Disengage:

 **Rank B** : Is the ability to break away from combat. Bonus effect of returning battle conditions to what they were at the beginning of the match.

 **Noble Phantasms:**

 **Chains of Hades** – _All life is chained to a common End_ –

The chains handed to Thanatos to bind special victims to Tartarus, which were also used to bind _him_ once. Chains the target to stop their movement. They may emerge from any shadows near Berserker. Those with high Magic Resistance can break the chains quite easily, but this also applies to Servants with light based powers, as they are entirely reliant on the shadows from which they spawn.

Rank: C

Type: Anti-Army

Range: 20

Maximum Targets: 100

 **Soul Reaper/** **Ο Χάρος** – _Equalizer of the End_ –

His sword may inflict cursed damage to the soul. The parts injured cannot be healed by normal means. Due to the class-related downgrade of Berserkers it only affects the target for a certain amount of time instead of permanently. This is a passive ability of his Noble Phantasm and requires no Prana investment.

The ability to phase through anything - barring a strong defensive Noble Phantasm - or 'reaper state' has to be consciously activated however.

Rank: A (C due to downgrade)

Type: Anti-Unit

Range: 2

Maximum Targets: 1

 **Armor of Mors** – _Entwined Fate Overlap Paradox_ –

Mors, the Roman counterpart to Thanatos, was the same and yet different from the Greek mythology. All that stuck to Thanatos from the entwined myths was the essence of this armor. It is a Noble Phantasm that has divine protection and is nigh unbreakable. The source of its unyielding defense is the amount of souls absorbed into it. If its tormented fuel runs out, the armor will lose quite some durability, but it is still beyond anything of human craft.

Rank: A

Type: Defensive

Range: 1

Maximum Targets: 1

 **Torch of the Netherworld –** _Undying Flame of Tartarus_ **–**

Instead of using a torch to set an enemy aflame, Thanatos actually catches on fire himself. It is a protective-offensive hybrid Noble Phantasm that burns anything that touches him or its radius with a dark fire that cannot be quenched. The flames will burn everything they touch and actually live from the inherent Prana of the object/life form. In other words they will burn until the being is burned out either physically or Prana wise. It emits from the gaps in his armor. The Mad enhancement doesn't reduce this NP's quality. It essentially works like a Prana burst, but on a whole different level. It takes gigantic amounts of Prana, so it can't be used often. The intensity and range of the flames can be adjusted.

The only weakness to this Noble Phantasm is that the fires will be extinguished if Thanatos leaves a certain range.

Rank: A

Type: Anti-Unit to Anti-Castle Noble Phantasm.

Range: 1 - 10

Maximum Target: 1000 people

 **Servant Stats (without Mad Enhancement in parenthesis):**

 **Strength:** A+ (B)

 **Endurance:** A++ (B+)

 **Agility:** B (C)

 **Magic:** B

 **Luck:** D

* * *

GG-sensei: "What a fearsome creature."

Isao: "I honestly expected more from a real god."

Rider: "The mad hound of Olympus is not what he seems."

Isao: "W-when did you return?!"

Rider: "Gyllir is trying to pull Shige out of the pit. There is nothing in it, so I do not have to worry anymore."

GG-sensei: "How truly fearless. I wonder what that Pegasus will see once it enters?"

Isao: "What exactly do you mean by 'he is not what he seems'?"

Rider: "It is simply a hunch, but he is a mere shadow of himself. I have seen many gods in my time, but none were quite so consumed by worldly desire."

GG-sensei: "Yup, he sure is a rabid mutt, but even so he gave you quite some trouble."

Rider: "I will not pretend otherwise. His Noble Phantasms make up for his degenerate appearance."

GG-sensei: "Some trinkets can hardly make up for that ugly muzzle and lack of dental flossing."

Isao: "Anything that can take on 3 Servants at once is not good in my book."

GG-sensei: "That is why you will always be a mere Assistant. If three is not enough, just throw four at him!"

Rider and Isao exchanged a short glance and then smiled wryly.

Shige: "NUOOOO! Why are you trying to eat me now?! Bad horsy! I knew I should have taken riding lessons with mom! _Aiiieee, nwot mah nwose_!"

Rider: "…"

Isao: "Are Norse horses carnivores?"

GG-sensei: "Only if they think that the person is a big carrot. Incidentally I forgot that the pit of horrors has different effects on animals. Oopsie daisy?"

She stretched out her tongue cutely and tapped her head.

Rider: "You will pay for this. Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow. Maybe not even the day after tomorrow. But one day you will wake up with my lance in your flat chest, you evil witch."

She sprinted into the hedge maze with complete abandon.

Isao whistled and barely contained his laughter.

GG-sensei: "How would I wake up if I was impaled to death?"

She shrugged and exhaled with a sardonic expression.

Isao: "Huh. You reacted more mature than I expected. Maybe I improved my opinion of you a little."

GG-sensei: "Of course dear Assistant #2. If the taunts of an ant could incite rage from me I would be no better than a despot."

Isao: "While that's true, I simply can't imagine you really are that forgiving…"

Rider: "What in the name of Odin's beard?! My… my chest! It has shrunken to such a pitiful state!?"

Isao squinted his eyes while looking at Caster's devious smile. She was coolly swiping her hair aside in the sudden breeze.

Isao: "That flat chest comment bothered you a lot, didn't it?"

GG-sensei: "Silence is golden. That is some free advice from Sensei to Assistant."

Isao: "Duly noted."

He pretended not to feel the cricket bat pocking into his spleen.

 _(To be continued)_


	37. Reflection

**Reflection**

* * *

It felt like he had been sinking through tar for days. The darkness around his body was tangible and sucking him in. With every moment he stayed in this world he could feel himself get drawn closer and closer to something. Inside the center of this world was a life-pulse. Something beyond human comprehension. It was pulsating in a unnatural shade of purple and exuded infinite warmth.

Could a human survive in this world? Where would that sticky horrifying mass take him? Until now he had kept his mouth and nose shut, somehow holding his breath for what felt like an eternity. He was afraid to inhale this corrupt mass. What would it do to him if he ingested it?

Even his eyes were closed, but there was no difference. He could still se the purple pulse through his closed eyelids. It was as if he perceived this realm not through his senses, but something much deeper.

' _I want to get there._ ' He thought.

There was nothing else in this black world. The tantalizing warmth from the core was too mesmerizing. Instead of wriggling through this goo, he wanted to get to that place. Maybe salvation would finally find him there. His chest was responding to the call. The heat he felt with each pulse was starting to take form in his heart. Only a little more and they would be united. Just a tiny bit more and the link would be irreversible!

RRRRRRRIIIIINGGGG!

Shigechiyo's eyes flew open. The loud noise of the alarm to his right had torn him out of his dream world. His mind had turned so numb that he couldn't even tell where he was until he finally managed to crawl to the alarm and shut it down. The ringing didn't leave his ears for a while.

This was his room. His bed. His apartment.

Putting a sweaty palm against his face he tried to recollect how he got here. There was nothing in his mind. Only the ringing and the pulsing warmth. It was all focused on his chest.

Unable to bear the heat any longer he ripped open his shirt and glared at the source of the pain. His voice got stuck in his throat when he realized what had happened. It was unbelievable, unthinkable and terrifying. Maybe he was still dreaming.

Shige hastily closed his shirt and moved out of bed. Even though he felt nauseous, he still had the mind to dress himself and open the window to let in some fresh air. The last thing he remembered was the pain of getting impaled by that Servant. Everything afterwards was a blur. Someone must have carried him home and put him to bed. He noticed the ruined uniform in the corner of the room, folded together rather neatly.

She took care of him just like a mother…

She?

His eyes widened and he burst out of his room. The next moment he was sliding through the hallway and looking into every corner, every room. Not the bathroom, not the living room, not his room… Then she must have been in the kitchen!

Shige moved to the door and opened it in a rush. The sudden movement seemed to have surprised the woman inside and a plate fell to the ground, shattering apart into tiny pieces. She watched it with a regretful expression.

It didn't really matter to Shige. He was just so relieved, so glad to see Rider-san was alright! How could he even express this happiness? His body was numb, but he still almost went to hug her. Some inherent sense of shame managed to keep him in line. To think that he could actually even consider hugging a beautiful woman… That was so not like him.

"Good morning Shige." Rider took the broken pieces from the floor and gathered them in one hand. She was only using her left arm. Whenever she tried to pick up a piece with her right hand she dropped it again.

"W-wait let me help!" He knelt down and helped her pick up the shattered plate. During those motions he glanced at Rider-san from the corner of his eyes. She looked stern… And her right arm was shaking.

"I apologize for my clumsiness. It is dishonorable to ruin my Master's inheritance." Her apology was so genuine that it made him want to cry.

"These old things? I didn't inherit them or anything, I just bought them on some cheap sale." He calmed her worries. "That's odd though. Rider-san is usually so dexterous." He couldn't help but say it.

"It seems that my right arm is still afflicted by Berserker's curse." Rider explained while shakingly raising the arm in question.

"OH! S-sorry, that was insensitive of me." He averted his gaze and felt like punching himself. The fight this night had taken a toll on all of them. "Do you… do you think it will heal?"

"That blade severs the soul. Under normal circumstances my arm should have died that moment." She glared at the spot she was cut at. The white skin was unscathed and beautiful as ever. "The curse seems to be weakened due to circumstance."

"So you will be able to recover?"

"I believe so. After all since this morning I have been able to move it again, if only so much." She managed to open and close her hand with some effort. "Although this will not suffice to hold my lance."

"Rider-san…" Shige threw the broken plate into the trash and sighed. She had gotten hurt so badly in these harsh battles, but she was already thinking about the next fight. But even when her mind was on the next battle, she still had taken care of him and was even preparing breakfast on her own...

"Enough about me, how are _you_ Shige? Is your body well? Do you feel any pain?" She flipped the conversation around and suddenly cornered him against the fridge, putting her healthy arm against it.

"W-w-wait a second Rider-san! You don't need to be so aggressive." He gulped and then wrung himself out of her overwhelming presence. "I'm feeling a bit exhausted, but it's not so bad."

"You will have to thank Koyuki for that then. She took care of you after you received that blow." Rider crossed her arms and looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"Koyuki- Oh yeah, how are the others?!" He couldn't believe that he had forgotten about them!

"Archer managed to come out nearly unharmed. He is impressive to a fault." She nodded approvingly. "Koyuki was not harmed either. Physically that is." Her expression switched to regret again.

"What do you mean?"

"It is not my place to speak of this. She may confide in you when we meet again." Rider deflected his question with such ominous words.

"Then… what about the people we wanted to protect?" He rubbed his arm uncomfortably.

Rider shook her head. No words were needed.

It left a bad aftertaste in his mouth.

"We managed to fight Berserker to a standstill, but perhaps we will not be so lucky next time. If he will appear again it might be in an even stronger manner."

"Are you saying we will lose?"

"Never." Rider's eyes suddenly turned determined. "If we meet him in battle, we _might_ lose. If we admit defeat from the start, we have _already_ lost."

Maybe this was part of what made Rider-san a hero. This unyielding fighting spirit. Perhaps it was her culture as well. Glory in death, fighting to the last breath and be proud about it. Shige once again realized that he knew so little about her.

"However, if we are not truthful to each other that will ascertain our defeat just as well." Suddenly Rider pulled Shige over and opened his shirt. He squirmed and his cheeks were completely flushed, but she didn't pay it any heed.

As his chest was bare before her eyes he felt so ashamed and inadequate that he wanted to jump into a hole and die.

"Why were you trying to hide this from me?" She asked him seriously.

"No! I didn't want to h-hide it! It's just that I…" He didn't want to _acknowledge_ it. Saying that would probably have made him look even more pathetic.

"I did not hide my weakness from you." Rider looked him in the eyes with sympathy. "So please do the same for me."

It was too much. Her kindness made him unable to refuse. Finally he took a look at his chest again. There was something wrong about his body. The pendant that he had been wearing around his neck, that family heirloom, was… stuck inside his skin. It was not pressed against it or glued to it… it was _fusing_ with his flesh.

The heat inside his chest must have come from there. It was stinging when he tried to touch the marble.

"You knew about it already?" He asked quietly.

"I was the one who undressed you." She said calmly. After seeing his embarrassed expression she added. "Naturally I would have noticed this pounding energy flowing through your body either way. It is as if you are pulsating with the will of the world."

"What does that mean?" Shige leaned against the wall and sank down.

"I hadn't been quite certain until this moment." Rider admitted and then sat down next to Shige on the kitchen floor. "That pendant is a relic. More specifically a piece of Yggdrasill."

"Yg-dra-what?" That word seemed vaguely familiar, most likely from video-games.

"The world tree, Yggdrasill. It encompasses all nine realms." Rider explained curtly.

That didn't help at all. World tree? Nine realms? This really sounded like an RPG now.

"Knowledge of this has been forgotten in your era it seems." Rider was not perturbed by this. "To simplify, your world is carried by Yggdrasill. Thus, Yggdrasill is what gives this world life."

"And this pendant… is a piece of that tree?" He tried to follow as best as he could.

"Indeed. A miniscule piece that has taken physical form in reality. This is not something a human should possess."

"It's been passed down in my family…"

"You did mention that it belonged to you grandfather." She nodded. "It seems that this piece is somehow still conceptually connected to Yggdrasill itself. That is why it is consistently drawing prana from it, which in turn is transferred to me through our contract."

Shige understood that part at least. They had already determined that this pendant kept Rider-san in the current world, because Shige was no magus. So it was providing her with prana directly from the world tree.

"It was fate that brought us together. There are not many Servants who would have been able to access that power." She muttered with a melancholy look.

"I'm glad that I inherited this then." Shige said with a sheepish smile.

"It turns out to be a blessing and a curse." Rider put a hand to his chest suddenly. "Can you feel it Shige? The seed has sprouted."

His eyes widened. Suddenly the stinging pain in his chest returned without warning. He coughed and started shaking. Why? Why? Why did it suddenly start wriggling… squirming… burning?!

"The more you tap into the power of Yggdrasill, the more your existence will meld with it." Rider's eyes turned silver and she spoke with cold clarity. "The seed will sprout and grow inside your body. Eventually it will completely overtake you and once it reaches your heart…"

Her pause made him shiver in agony.

"…you will die."

 _The small wooden marble had seeded inside him… it was growing its roots in his soul and mind. Unstoppable growth, creating branches inside his organs and then bursting out of his limbs. A fleshy seedbed that would be torn open by the growth of another world!_

His breathing was shallow and his sight blurry. The vision he just had… felt so real. So painful. So… so…

"C-can it be removed?"

"It is dangerous. The seed is already linked with your body. Should we tear it out or burn it away, it might damage you physically and spiritually."

Her warnings over the last few days all made sense now. She had been afraid something like this might happen. Even so, she had put her trust in him and allowed him to carry the pendant with him. She had given him a choice. Respected his determination and will.

"Those are the consequences of your choices." Rider put her hands on his shoulders and pulled him closer until he could see nothing but her eyes. "As a fellow warrior and comrade in arms I will never reprimand you for your choices. What you did that night was brave and you have my respect. I am in your debt." Those serious words seeped into his mind, but then her eyes turned into their sapphire blue color again. "But… as your Servant… I cannot approve. That was a foolish thing to do Master. I am _your_ shield."

It was unbelievable. Rider's voice was… shaking. Her eyes were filled with deep sadness. Only now did he realize that it wasn't him that had been hit by that strike yesterday. Even if he had taken the physical brunt, Rider-san… she had been hurt the most.

"I'm sorry." He lowered his head deeply. "But I think so highly of you… I can't let you die before you reach your dream." Those were his honest thoughts.

"Misguided veneration." Rider muttered.

"What?"

"Shige, you are still a young man. Do not throw your life away for someone who is already lost." She rose up and put the weak hand on the food she had prepared.

He wanted to refute her words. To stand next to her and embrace that vulnerable woman who cared more for his well-being than her dreams. Why could he not stand beside her? It felt like the distance between them had only been growing instead of closing.

Shige had eaten the breakfast she prepared on his own. It was hard to talk after that exchange. Even so, the food was delicious.

The reason Shige had set his alarm this late was because of the class trip. It seemed he had only slept about three hours since Rider had brought him home, but there was still plenty of time until he had to reach the bus. Aside from the occasional pulsing in his chest, his body felt completely fine. This must have been thanks to Koyuki's treatment and also the pendant's effects.

If he was honest, there was no reason to go to school right now. He wouldn't meet Koyuki anyway, because the first years didn't go on the trip. What else was there for him to do? His life had been in mortal danger several times by now, so what did he care about something banal like school?

He looked at his Smartphone. 23 messages.

"Give it up already mom." He grumbled and put the phone away. If he stayed at home today he would feel awkward with Rider-san and doing nothing would make his thoughts go in circles. It was better to just play the good student.

"You are heading out, Shige?" Rider awaited him in the entrance way.

"Yeah. Wouldn't want to be scolded for tardiness." He said with a wry smile.

"And you do not wish me to accompany you?"

He opened his mouth, but then closed it again. Somehow he felt really guilty right now. He couldn't even look her in the eyes. Not that he had ever been good at that.

"Natsu-san will be suspicious if I bring my 'aunt' to the trip… if something happens I will call you." He raised his hand with the two remaining Command Seals and closed one eye as he smiled weakly.

"…" Rider watched him for much longer than he was comfortable with, but then she relented. Her trust in him was unbroken, despite his terrible behavior.

"I will be back in the evening. Heading out now…" He put on his shoes and left through the apartment door.

"Safe travels." Rider called out after him.

He couldn't help but feel some bliss hearing that. This was something he could never have had before he met Rider-san.

Shige reached the school just in time to hop on the bus with the crowd from the second years. He had barely managed to take a look at the students inside the classrooms. From the windows he couldn't even tell which class was which. One of the downsides of never having any interest in anything at school.

Hopefully Koyuki was sitting somewhere in there and having a normal day. She was the type to blame herself for everything, so he was pretty worried.

With such heavy feelings he was riding the bus all the way Matsumae's biggest museum, the 'International Heritage Museum'. Just as Tateyama-sensei had promised, they had really made this last minute decision reality. Of course none of his classmates were particularly stoked to come here. Others were probably going to somewhere interesting like tour around the stadium.

Shige could feel the boredom overwhelm him just looking at the entrance to the museum. What a drag. Maybe awkwardly sitting at home would have been better after all.

He was pushed out of the door by the flood of students and barely managed to keep his bag from falling off. It was very hectic for a few moments, but then they spread out evenly.

"Yaaaawn, who cares about this shitty museum? They don't even have dinosaur bones." Keiji exclaimed with dark shadows under his eyes. The spiky-haired idiot had somehow managed to arrive tired on a day where he could sleep longer?

"You've been too excited to sleep, right?" Ren grinned.

"W-what the hell?! 'course not! Take that back!" He tried to hit Ren's arm, but the shaved boy managed to dodge just at the last second. Keiji's sluggish movements were too predictable.

"You two are energetic no matter where you go." Amane smirked and then noticed Shige. "Sano-kun, you look a little under the weather as well. Did you have trouble sleeping?"

"Er… not really." He scratched his cheek and smiled dryly. He had barely slept at all, but it was not for such a light-hearted reason as Keiji's. Not that he could announce that openly.

"All students form a line and gather in front of the entrance! We are now going inside. Do not cause the staff any trouble and don't touch _anything_. Did you hear me Nakamura-kun?"

"Why're you singling me out Natsunoe!?"

"That's _sensei_ to you!"

The class laughed at the typical antics, but Shige felt distracted. Natsu-san was here in her role as homeroom teacher while Tateyama-sensei was already inside, preparing the tour. The banner above the entrance said 'Norse culture exhibition'. He finally remembered where he had heard about _Yggdrasill_ before. It was during Tateyama-sensei's lecture last week!

That's right. This museum was exhibiting stuff about Norse culture and religion. Maybe even stuff about Valkyries? His eyes widened in excitement. This was an opportunity to learn more about Rider-san's origins. If he could just understand her a little better, they might find a way to get closer.

Suddenly motivated, Shige pushed himself through the crowd to cut in line. He ignored the complaints and moaning and got the first spot in line. From out of nowhere Amane suddenly slipped next to him. Each row had two people, so that made sense, but still. What was his deal?

"I'm actually really interested in museums Sano-kun." The lanky guy had noticed Shige's suspicious look and then adjusted the sling around his arm.

"What about Keiji and Ren?"

"They are a little too rowdy for this kind of place. I won't be able to enjoy the exhibits if they keep attracting the security guards. You don't mind, do you?"

"Not really." Shige put his hands into his pockets and shrugged. He couldn't stand Amane for some reason, but he did understand wanting to get away from those human shaped whirlwinds.

Soon they were let inside and then left to roam the place either on their own or follow the main tour group. The class split almost evenly and Shige decided to move out on his own. He wasn't really interested in anything outside the Norse exhibit.

"Oh my, are you looking for something specific, Sano-kun?"

Shit, he had forgotten about Amane. He could have just slipped away by himself instead of sticking to him…

"I want to see the new exhibition." He replied vaguely.

"What a coincidence. I've seen the rest of the museum many times already, so that would be the most interesting course of action. Let me accompany you please."

"Sure…" Amane came here often, huh?

They walked into another hall and reached the Norse section. This part of the museum always changed every year or so for a new theme. They had imported some interesting stuff from other museums all over the country. Perhaps even all over the world, considering the Norse relics and items displayed here.

"Hm." Shige looked at an old looking wooden shield. It looked impressive and all, but…

"There is some info on the plate to the right." Amane pointed him to the info board.

"I knew that." Shige coughed and read the text. Apparently it was a shield found in a Scandinavian fishing village up in Norway. When Shige thought of Norse culture and stuff like that it was usually Vikings with cool horned helmets and big boats to pillage and loot cities. It was interesting for sure, but not very mythological.

They continued along the path through the exhibition and reached some more interesting murals. He squinted his eyes and finally recognized something. Those marks carved into the metal… they reminded him of the runes on Rider-san's armor and shield!

"Runes, eh? I'm not too familiar with those, but Celtic mythology is supposedly very sparse."

"Why's that?"

"Their myths and history were delivered mostly orally I believe. And once Christianity spread they managed to destroy everything they found disagreeable." Amane explained with one arm on his hip and a thoughtful expression.

"Very good Amane-kun, but not entirely true." They both froze up when they heard a familiar voice. A certain bespectacled teacher had decided to suddenly ambush them!

"T-Tateyama-sensei?" Shige swallowed. They weren't doing anything wrong, but a teacher sneaking up on students was never a good sign.

"No need to fret young Sano, I have nothing but admiration for students that want to educate themselves!" He made a jovial gesture and adjusted his glasses.

"What happened to you Sensei?" Shige creased his brows.

"Oh, this?" Tateyama pointed at his forehead. He had a big band-aid on it. About the size his own hand. "That's a secret I'm afraid." He said with a dark expression. Somehow his grey eyes below the glasses seemed to be filled with killing intent!

"…" Shige and Amane looked at each other and then put on their serious faces.

"Juuuust kidding!" Suddenly Tateyama burst out with a big grin. "It's rather embarrassing, although not for me."

"Is… that so?" Shige felt like he was playing with fire here.

"Let me tell you a little secret then, because you are such fine students." It was so incredibly obvious that he just wanted to talk about it. "You wouldn't believe it when you see her, but Natsunoe-sensei is actually incredibly clumsy."

"Natsu-san?" That was a name he hadn't expected to hear.

"Yes yes, our rising star in the teacher's lounge herself." Tateyama subconsciously peeled on the band-aid. "You see, I was preparing my material for the museum trip when she suddenly came in with the big rolled up country map."

"She hit you?"

"Not at all. I took it from her to help her out. It was really quite heavy. I'm surprised how muscular Natsunoe-sensei is."

She did work out in her spare time. Not that Shige could tell anyone about that.

"Then how did you get hurt?" Amane questioned.

"I'm getting to it. So in return for my help she offered to prepare some tea for me."

"Her killer tea!?" Shige gasped involuntarily.

"Hm?" Tateyama blinked in confusion. "Is it that good? Sadly we didn't get to enjoy it. She ran out of tea leaves so she tried to grab the pot from above the shelf."

He didn't know how lucky he was. The history teacher had escaped death only by a small miracle. Natsu-san's tea was deadlier than aqua regia.

"And then it fell on your head?" Amane concluded.

"Of course not, her tiny arms didn't even reach." Tateyama shook his head. "I offered to get a chair, but she told me that there was no point in repaying me by getting _more_ help from me."

She was a stubborn one; that much was always obvious. Shige smiled wryly.

"We realized that the bus had already arrived so we had to hurry outside. We moved down the stairs really fast, but then I realized I forgot my materials that I had so carefully prepared."

"And then you tripped over her feet and hurt yourself!" Shige and Amane pointed at his head simultaneously.

"You sure love interrupting your teacher." He looked at them disappointedly. "What actually happened is that when I went back up the stairs I realized the truth. Which is that Natsunoe-sensei…"

They hung on his lips.

"…forgot to button her shirt right, so I could see through the opening in her blouse."

"Eh?"

"What?"

"As expected of such a young careless thing, she immediately overreacted and hit me with the full force of her muscle-bound arm." He stretched his arms to the side as if he had taken a hit for the team.

"So rather than Natsunoe-sensei being clumsy…" Amane began.

"…you just sexually harassed her." Shige facepalmed.

"E-excuse me? It was beyond my control. I simply noticed an opening I shouldn't have. Just because I saw her blue brassiere-"

"Whatever are you discussing with those students right now Ta-te-ya-ma-sensei?" The sweetest voice on Earth settled right in-between them. Like the angel of death, someone was suddenly moving out from behind Tateyama's back. Had she been there the entire time? What an assassin like skill to blend into the background.

"Eeek! N-Natsunoe-san!" Tateyama shrieked and rapidly adjusted his glasses that were sliding down from the sudden sweat. "W-we were just discussing the exhibition! Right boys?!"

"How odd. I seem to have heard my name somewhere in there." She was spinning her curly chestnut hair around her finger cutely. She only did that when she was furious!

"C-completely out of question. Sano-kun was asking me about the origin of Celtic runes in the middle ages and I simply had to… ehm… Think of an excuse." He got quieter and quieter, before suddenly grabbing Shige by the arm and pulling him along with him. "I will show you a very interesting part of the exhibit Sano-kun!"

"Okay." Shige was all too happy to get away from Natsu-san even if staying next to her target would mean he could end up as collateral damage later. "Amane, stay with Natsu-sa-… noe-sensei! We aren't allowed to run around on our own." He shouted after his partner. That should delay the deathbringer somewhat, because of her sense of duty.

Somehow they ended up on the second floor and were not followed by a berserk Natsu-san. School trips were somehow more exhilarating than he remembered. While taking a breath and wiping his sweat, Shige looked up and saw a huge rug hung out in the middle of the room. Some fine pictograms had been stitched into it. No, on closer inspection that was probably an artistic depiction of something.

A dozen knights with swords on the back of horses flying across mountain and down below were hundreds of small soldiers in a skirmish. It looked almost like a children's drawing, except stitched into fabric.

"So you are truly interested in Norse mythology Sano-kun?" Tateyama was standing upright without any sweat on his face. He was much fitter than he looked.

"A bit, I guess." It would be too uncharacteristic for him to be enthusiastic now.

"I like it when someone shows initiative. It makes me feel like I succeeded as a mentor." Tateyama smiled warmly.

"You know a lot about foreign history, sir?"

"You could say so. Is there anything in particular that fascinates you?" He was in a good mood for sure.

"Uh… well I think I want to know more about Valkyries."

"Aha, those choosers of the slain. The wish-fulfillers." Tateyama looked at the carpet in front of them with a distant expression. "Do you know why they are called this?"

"It's something about the afterlife, right?"

"Yes, as so often with religion, the afterlife is the most important part. Norse mythology is heavily based around the cycle of death and rebirth, but for us mortals there is only one place that is truly desirable. The halls of Valhalla."

"Valhalla." He repeated the word. He had heard of it before as well. Probably even in Tateyama's class.

"It's a hall were the worthiest of warriors go after death to enjoy the festivities and merriment of the realm of the gods until the end of the world. Those worthy men will then fight at the day of Ragnarok in the greatest of all battles. Such a splendidly simple idea of happiness."

"Do the Valkyries also go to Valhalla?"

"Yes. They serve the food and mead in the halls and enjoy the merrymaking as well. However they have a more important role." He raised a finger and pointed at the scene in front of them. "As you can see the heavy battles and wars of the mortal world attract the vigilant eyes of the warrior maidens. They descent unto a battlefield, according to some myths sometimes to join in, but most of the time simply to search for worthy warriors in the embrace of death. They even decided who gets to live and who would die."

"What makes a warrior worthy?" Shige wondered.

"Indeed what might that special quality be? It's a mystery to us humans. Being valiant in battle and slaying many foes might have been a requirement. In the end only the Valkyries knew who and why they chose." Tateyama shrugged.

Shige looked at the small figures of the Valkyries on top of their fantastical winged horses. Rider-san always used those special eyes to tell a person's character or whether they lied. The first night they met she had judged him and decided that fighting by his side was fine. Did that truly mean he was worthy of Valhalla? Him of all people? He couldn't help but think that her meaning had been different.

"Uh, sensei, I don't know where I picked it up, but I thought Valkyries were supposed to have wings." He rubbed his thumbs together in embarrassment.

"Valkyries were often associated with birds, like ravens and swans, perhaps that's why. It wouldn't be uncommon to mistake Valkyries for angels from Judeo-Christian mythology. I have seen such depictions as well. In a sense they did fulfill similar roles, as messengers for the gods. But they are much more and much less at the same time."

"What does that mean?"

"The records of the skalds have a tendency to contradict or divulge from each other. Valkyries sometimes were seen as heroes and protectors of the world, just as they were Odin's and Freyja's choosers of the slain. Some of them are indeed divine, as their gods' messengers, while others were simply human with special gifts and powers."

"Human?" Shige looked up to Tateyama intrigued.

"Mhm. Did you ever hear of **Brynhildr**?"

"No." He could barely even understand the name! How did Tateyama manage to say it so fluently?

"As so often with myths, there are many version of her tale. In Norse mythology she was known as Brynhhildr, while in the Germanic version of the story she was known as Brunhild." He tapped his fingers against his crossed arms and seemed to fall into a short reverie. "In the Norse version she was indeed a Valkyrie, but in the Germanic counterpart she was simply a woman with great power. In both stories however her strength came from her purity."

"Purity?" Shige found it hard to follow.

"Her virginity to be frank. As long as she stayed a pure maiden, she was unbeatable by common men. Many competed with her in combat and trials, for the sake of getting her hand in marriage and gaining her riches and land. No mortal man had managed to bed her of course."

Shige felt his head heat up a little. Mythology was strange.

"That is until the famous hero Sigurd, or Siegfried appeared. The stories do change drastically from here. You were interested in human-like Valkyries, correct?"

Shige nodded.

"Queen Brunhild was a proud woman, confident in her ability. But she was also true to her oath. Should she ever be bested in combat she would give herself to the man who could defeat her. Siegfried was a man she acknowledged, but he did not wish to marry her. Instead he came to her lands with King Gunther of Burgundy, the brother of the woman he loved. To gain Gunther's favor Siegfried was convinced by a man named Hagen to help the king make Brunhild his wife. They tricked her into thinking Gunther was the one who bested her, even though Siegfried was the one who beat her at every turn."

"Wasn't Siegfried a hero? That's pretty evil."

"It was not very noble of him, but Gunther had no chance without his support. To get the king's blessings to marry Kriemhild, he would resort even to this. In the end Siegfried used a cape of invisibility to wrestle Brunhild down in her bed and then switched with Gunther during the nightly battle. Brunhild lost her purity and thus her powers."

"How cruel."

"She accepted her fate, thinking it was Gunther's genuine superiority that led to this. She married him and became a queen of Burgundy." Tateyama wiped his glasses on his sweater.

Maybe it didn't sound so bad in the end, but Shige still felt sorry for her. She was lied to be someone she trusted and lost her powers to someone unworthy.

"That is not the worst of it of course. The legend continues farther on a tragic path where she is ultimately responsible for the death of Siegfried and turns to the fire when her husband dies in a fight with the Huns."

"Are all Valkyries' legends so tragic?" He couldn't stop himself from feeling depressed now.

"Sadly most of them are. Heroes tend to find a cruel fate." Tateyama nodded lightly.

"So many of them were heroes."

"Yes and even more were _married_ to heroes or appeared as their lovers."

"Really? Humans and Valkyries could be lovers?" This made his ear perk up.

"More often than not I would say." Tateyama laughed. "But the tragedy that befalls heroes often affects their loved ones as well."

"W-what kind of Valkyries fell in love with humans?" He wondered.

"On the spot I can only remember a handful. For example there was **Sigrún** , wife of Helgi Hundingsbane."

Another couple of impossible names.

"How did they fall in love?"

"The details are vague, but Helgi was a renowned hero and warrior. At just 15 he had slain Hunding, king of the Saxons, hence the hero name. It seems Sigrún had fallen for him while watching his deeds. She visited him on his flagship and kissed him right away. They fell deeply in love on the spot."

"Sounds like a fairy-tale love story."

"Doesn't it? But their union was not easy to achieve. Sigrún's father was opposed to the marriage, so Helgi had to slay him and all of his sons. He only spared one boy, Dagr, who swore fealty to him."

"Wasn't Sig… Sig... Wasn't she sad that he _killed_ her family?"

"Stubborn men can seem irredeemable sometimes. Love knows no blood relation. Sigrún was a Valkyrie who valued strength and greatness, both of which her father was lacking. His sons were all violent and cruel too. She was quite happy that her younger brother was spared though, I believe."

"So then they got married?"

"That they did. They had many children who set out into the world. They didn't ever return, becoming heroes somewhere far away. For them that was nothing bad though, they had each other. It was a wonderful love that could have lasted forever."

"But that didn't happen…"

"Right. Dagr was compelled by the old customs to avenge his fallen brothers. For that purpose he made a sacrifice to Odin, the Allfather himself. The wise god gave him a mighty spear that Dagr used to kill his brother in law."

"Her own brother killed her husband?!" It was unbearably sad.

"Helgi's kindness was his undoing. Dagr then returned to his sister to tell her about his deed. After all he only avenged their family."

"I can't believe it…"

"Sigrún was furious and cursed her brother with all her power." Tateyama's glasses reflected the headlights and hid his expression. "The spear that Odin gave to him was the catalyst. The moment he touched it, he was cursed forever. She cursed him to live in the forest and dirt, living of nothing but carrion. If he entered a ship, no wind would come for its sails. No horse would carry him. Any weapon he wields would only hurt himself." He recited all the dark curses she threw upon her brother with a deep voice.

"She didn't kill him?"

"No. It's unclear whether she still held a shred of love for her brother or if she just thought this punishment was worse. He would certainly never come to Valhalla like that."

"But then… she was all alone." Shige looked down to his feet.

"Yes. Her love dead, her family dead, her children far away and betrayed by Odin himself. She was lonely." Tateyama took a breath. "But she still waited for Helgi's return."

"Huh? Why?!"

"Haha. Who knows? Her wish actually came true. Helgi returned just once, because of all the tears she shed over his grave. They spent one last night together and then he had to return to Valhalla for good."

"…"

"She could never forget him. Even after that last night she kept waiting for him until she eventually died of sadness."

"….dammit." Shige balled his fist. "Is that what she got for doing her best and just wanting to be with the one she loves?"

"Norse mythology is all about death and rebirth. It is said that both Helgi and Sigrún were reincarnated as lovers once again. So it's not all bad."

"Did they remember each other?" He looked up hopefully, but Tateyama shook his head. Then to Shige that was the same as completely different people.

"It's only a legend. It may not have gone quite like this. The more we tell a story the further it is altered." He finished his musings and returned to going over the rune tablets in the corner. "Oho, they even have these runes here. Fascinating!"

Shige was deep in thought. Valkyries seemed to attract tragedy. Rider-san always seemed to hide a deep sadness. He felt like he now understood Valkyries a bit better, but it only made it harder to bring up her past. What kind of life did she live? Was she also reborn over and over again, unable to remember those lives?

If she was summoned to this era with the knowledge of all the myths around the world, then perhaps she also knew about the fate of her reincarnations. Maybe she knew the pain Brynhildr and Sigrún felt. He had seen her as nothing but divine, but it couldn't have been further from the truth. Valkyries were more like humans than he thought. Their lives, love and wishes were all so very, very human.

He really was a fool.


	38. Wisdom

**Wisdom**

* * *

Collingwood put a hand to the mossy surface of the old warehouse which had seen better days. Its grey walls made of dry and cheap concrete were displaying several holes all over, forming a far from coincidental pattern. Openings punched into hard material like this were reminiscent of bullet holes if anything, but the size didn't match. This was the work of something unnatural for sure. The sight of a battle between Servants.

"Archer's handiwork?" He muttered and then kicked in the unhinged door. It had been part of the collateral. Inside the damp warehouse were only destroyed crates and a feeling of abandonment.

"It appears that the good General wanted to test that grim knight for a bit." Caster spun inside and jumped on top of the one intact wooden crate in the entire warehouse.

"Lance wasn't impressed I reckon." Seeing how he there were no other signs of battle to be found, the two had moved their fight somewhere else quickly. "Anything unusual?"

"This is the last trace of irregular mana flow I could sense in the ley lines." Caster shrugged indifferently.

Collingwood rubbed his neck and sighed. This was it, huh? "Where did she go?"

"As entertaining as it can be to go sightseeing with you Master, I'd have some suggestions for better locale. Preferably somewhere with a lovely sight on the city where they happen to serve fine foods and exquisite wine." She leaned her face in one hand and looked down on him with a sarcastic smile.

He ignored her and kicked aside a pile of splintering wood. There was a secret passage here. The trap door had been torn out entirely to reveal a long ladder downwards into a passage. Their search wasn't at a dead end yet…

"Won't you stop this wild goose chase already?" Her suddenly tired call made him finally stop in his tracks. When looking up he saw that she was viewing him with a displeased expression. "Even you should have realized by now that she will not let herself be followed."

"She can't just _disappear_." He put his hands into his jacket pockets and let the irritation wash over him.

"That woman is not a mindless animal which leaves behind tracks for a boorish hunter to exploit. Although I had already taken note of it before, you really have a habit of underestimating your opponents." The criticism sounded mild, but cut rather deep.

"If you are _so_ wise, why don't you pull another magic trick from your hat and make her appear before us?" He couldn't take it and just retorted defiantly.

"A magic trick will only work if the audience believes it does." Caster replied unaffected and then flipped down in front of him. "And I do not sense much cooperation from my ever so vigilant audience right now." She tapped his chest softly and then stepped through a portal.

Before Collingwood could even raise his hand she already jumped back and disappeared with a wink. From the space he had seen behind her she had apparently connected to a spot close to the _Ahnenrast_ hotel. This was probably her way to declare this investigation concluded.

"So fickle." He grumbled and then left the warehouse. Walking back to the hotel would take a while, but it's not like he regretted being left behind. He could do just fine without Caster's help.

If she had been honest with him though, that meant Naoka Ootori had legitimately managed to disappear from their perception completely. After the events of the night Collingwood could just not let it go. For a magus it was natural to be wary of others and to make sure to hide ones actions and presence in some way. Yet Ootori had completely thrown preparation out of the window and made her exit in a nearly suicidal jump off the rooftop. There had been no time for a concealment spell of a trick, she just vanished.

In his time as a hermit in South-America he had become exceptionally good at sensing presences even in the dark of night, in an eerie jungle. His tracking skill should have at least been more than decent. And Caster was an exceptional magic user who had been quite adapt at keeping tabs on everything around her. If even she lost track nearly immediately it would not be a stretch to say that the woman in black leather was like a ghost.

Just why did he feel so frustrated though? Going by the current status of the Holy Grail War, Ootori might very well be the least antagonistic Master he had met.

That was exactly why he couldn't trust her. The way she spoke just reeked of someone who had their hands in every fire that sprung up in this city. She clearly knew a lot about the situation.

Honestly, he just wanted answers already.

* * *

"Welcome home, Master." Caster gave him a traditional curtsey with the widest smile.

"Having fun?" He was just exasperated and threw his coat on the couch before locking the apartment door behind him.

"A little."

"The staff looked at me weird, so don't be surprised if they suddenly check for _Madame Leger's_ safety." Of course they would be suspicious if a stranger suddenly claimed to have business with a famous actress and wanted to enter he apartment. He had to use mind alteration on the bellboy again.

"I am so scatterbrained sometimes." She chuckled. So she was fully aware that this would happen all along. "But you would never dare lay a hand on me, right?"

"Considering it right now." He threw her a sideway glare and then took swig of the water carafe. No time for pouring it into a glass. It was really refreshing and helped cool him down. The bright sunlight streaming into the apartment started to hurt his eyes already, so he pushed the remote that activated the blinds. This stuff was weirdly futuristic. As expected of a high end hotel.

After he had settled down and massaged his eyes he finally collected his thoughts and got ready. To his surprise Caster was already waiting for him with a big white board.

"Where did you find that?" He raised a brow.

"You would not believe what kind of things they store in the second closet to the right." She pulled out a pointing stick from her sleeve and put summoned glasses from solid light. He could only guess that she had seen something like that on TV and was now role-playing a teacher. If she would use even half of that energy on doing her job…

"Alright, we did what you wanted. Nothing but reconnaissance and failing to catch an enemy Master." He leaned back and raised a hand to the side. "Now what?"

"You might change your tone soon, that's my prediction." She spun her finger and in response shapes of colorful light appeared on the whiteboard.

'What's the point if you aren't going to use the markers?' He thought to himself. If he actually said it out loud that would just lead to another witty reply.

"Very well, let us begin our first official strategy meeting now~!" She raised her fist cheerfully.

"…"

"Yay!"

"…"

"You could stand to play along a little bit at least." She pursed her lips cutely.

"Haaah… Let's start already." He weakly pumped his fist to humor her. Every fiber of his arm wanted to resist the motion.

"Yes! To start with a little overview of the Grail War's constellations then. There are we, the underdogs, the magnificent Caster and her plucky side-kick!" The colors took shape in the likeness of their faces. Except Collingwood looked like he had a constant 5 o'clock shadow and eyes that wanted to kill something. Urgently. "As of today we are still in one piece and have managed to garner the unpleasant attention of nearly every participant in this little game of catch." She traced several arrows from every direction convening on them.

She wasn't wrong. Did she always have to treat it as a game though?

"Secondly we have the overseers of the land, the mysterious Tohsaka clan. I know almost nothing of them, but you said that you had an arrangement with their mistress." She put a big 'T' with a question mark to the far left of the board. "Are you certain this will not come back to bite us?"

"Ryouko Tohsaka gave me her word. That means something in the world of magi." He nodded.

"Your reliance on rules and order is so uncharacteristic." She tapped her hand with the stick and tilted her head.

"Even if I left the Clocktower on bad terms, the rules didn't change. We take pride in our…" He put a hand on his mouth. "Equivalent exchange is a law of this world." He corrected himself. It couldn't be that he still felt like he belonged with them even now…

"Well, well well, _well_. For a magician, rules and the laws of the universe are little more than an inconvenience to overcome. To me your pride and loyalty are naught but a quaint little act." She adjusted the purple glasses with a smirk.

"Mock me if you will, but I believe Tohsaka will keep her word. She has been keeping the church off my back until now at least."

"Is that so? MacNeil did seem rather amicable from the start to me."

"He is just a representative who oversees the war. Probably has his hands full without trying to capture me." The real troublesome ones were still waiting in the shadows, that much was clear to him.

"I shall stake our future on your faith in that pretty Lady then." Caster acquiesced to his judgment.

"Who said she is pretty?"

"Just an inkling I had." She looked at him with a knowing expression. "Nonetheless, we do not know much about their actions and movements. There has been a fight at their workshop, but they still seem active. Did they defeat their enemies? What type of Servant do they have? How many people are under their command? Who else did they form alliances with?" She made a list of questions.

"I only made a ceasefire with her, so she wouldn't relent that much info to me. It's not like we are partners."

"Do you think you can obtain that information without breaking off your fragile balance?"

"I _will_ do it." He said with certainty. This was one of the few things he was certain of.

"…so you can make a face like that sometimes." Her brows loosened and she smiled lightly. "Moving on. Next we have quite the opposite type of Master. I nearly every way I must say." She formed a new face, this time of a pretty teenage girl with traditional braids left and right of her bangs. "Koyuki Yukimura. She seems to be a follower of some outlandish religion and quite adept with their blessings and practices."

"I never saw one before, but those spells looked like something from an Onmyouji. Didn't think they were real until now." Collingwood had noticed her miko clothing on their first meeting and her abilities during tonight's battle. Ootori had called her Yukimura, just as Caster said. Where did he hear that name before?

"Hehe, you now see the fruits of my reconnaissance. She hails from the Yukimura shrine near the Inugami forest. They have a nice little temple atop a big hill."

So that's where he must have heard it. When he studied the map of Matsumae the shrine was definitely mentioned. That could be the only reason his gut responded to that name…

"This brave little girl is the Master of Archer and seems to have a good relationship with him. It would be hard to disrupt their teamwork and bond." She slipped in her personal assessment of their threat level so casually. "We also managed to pick up Archer's true identity as a little bonus. Yue Fei is a brilliant fit for the Archer class indeed. Of all our opponents we have to be weary of his intellect the most."

Even Collingwood knew a bit about history around Asia. He had heard of Fei in a different context though. He didn't even know that he was a soldier until recently. To him he was just a famous martial artist.

"You think he won't fall for your tricks?"

"I did not say anything of the sort." Caster smiled sardonically. "There is always someone a little cleverer than oneself out there." Her ribbons were flowing tranquilly in the air as her hand went through her shoulder length hair. She posed confidently. "Yet we won't be challenging them too soon if I interpreted your hesitation correctly."

He averted his eyes guiltily.

"I do not dislike that part of you Master." She smiled. "Even from a strategic standpoint it would be unwise to attack them haphazardly even if we know their base of operations." She tapped her stick on the board and a connecting line was created between Yukimura and a new pair. "They have allied themselves with this dysfunctional duo."

"That boy." Collingwood subconsciously rubbed his cheek. The young man's fists had left an impression on him.

"Shigechiyo Sano. Telling by his uniform he appears to be a student. They must be close in age, so that could be how they met. Sounds like destiny, does it not?" She folded her hands and sighed romantically.

"His Servant is that woman with the Pegasus." Collingwood completely sandbagged her question and moved on. "She put you in that bad state. Guess we shouldn't try to confront her directly."

"O-oh, but I am certain I have a grasp on her abilities now. Next time could turn out much more in our favor." She was shifting around suspiciously. Well, more suspicious than usual.

"Even if that's the case, we can't take on two Servants at once. The Masters seems inexperienced, but I don't like surprises." Those two were using very unfamiliar magecraft. Especially the boy. He had no magic proficiency to speak of and yet…

"The awkward boy seemed to be relying on some sort of charm."

"I noticed. Occult, armor type perhaps." He had seen similar things before, but not this effective and from just a simple charm to boot.

"It negates physical damage and could even block a Noble Phantasm." Caster crossed her arms in thought. "It felt otherworldly to say the least."

"Something even you can't discern?" His small jab was unintentional, but still rewarded with a huff.

"If I had to make hasty conclusions I would say that the boy's power and that Rider's essence are rather similar."

"Beyond coincidence?"

"If you will."

"Could it be the Servant's Noble Phantasm?"

"That is not out of the question. The range however seems a bit much…" She made a serious, yet fascinated expression that Collingwood had never seen before. She was like a kid that wanted to figure out a trick.

He coughed and straightened his vest. If she found out he had compared her to a kid again it could get annoying. Her eyes focused on him again.

"Your toys seemed to go right through his defense." She pointed out. "Your magecraft is strangely capable. It always seems like you are not using it as well as you could."

"You're exaggerating. It wasn't that easy." He was going to overlook that toy comment for now. "Though if I had to rate my chances in a fight, I'm going to take the kid out 9 out of 10 times."

"How reassuring. Just do not let him keep his Command Seals again if you go through the trouble of capturing him." She smirked.

"That alliance is troublesome, so we will leave them alone, did I get it right?"

"Troublesome is not the right term. _Useful_ would be a better label." She shrugged. The colors took shape in response to her words and took form as a looming giant on top of the board. "They might be able to keep that Mad Dog at bay."

"Berserker." Even saying that name left a bad aftertaste in his mouth. That was not something he wanted to confront any time soon.

"Fortunately these children seem to be on the side of justice and won't let a big bad monster roam the streets unchecked. The Valkyrie in particular seems to have this sense of chivalry, whatever that might be about." Her reaction was so derisive it made him feel bad for the blonde Servant.

"I don't think they can handle that guy alone." Collingwood cupped his chin. This night had been an exceptionally close call. Without their help the alliance wouldn't have been able to even get a draw.

"Even so, they ought to be a nice distraction. Just weakening that thing would be a blessing to us." She seemed perfectly fine with using them as a fodder. After seeing his expression she flipped the stick and rolled her eyes. "You do not think we paid them back enough yet? Your sense of obligation is stifling. Let it be so. I will take that into consideration for my plan."

"What plan?"

"Not so hasty." She wagged her finger. "Let us finish our overview first. That mad titan is Thanatos, the god of death in the bulging flesh. Scary~"

"Ootori said she made a pact with him to only appear every two days." Collingwood added. In other words Berserker wouldn't continue his rampage until the day after tomorrow.

"Ah, so you believed her." She noted quietly.

He blinked and then twisted back and forth. She was right; he had just… believed Naoka Ootori without question. That wasn't like him at all. This night had been really taxing on his mind.

"No no, please do not look so troubled. I as well think she was truthful. That information is quite convenient for us." The chaotic whirlwind of death had suddenly become predictable.

"There is one thing that bothers me about this though." He added. "If he appears every two nights, why did he only start rampaging now?"

"Why, did I not explain that already? There have been cases of 'gas leaks' and disappearing people all over town." She reminded him.

"…so that monster has been gathering his strength quietly in the shadows this entire time?" It was hard to believe.

"That is my assumption. Unless some other Servant relies on Soul Eater as well, but that seems unlikely."

"Can a Berserker even act so controlled?" That just seemed completely polar opposite to the Class description.

"That woman said something to that affect. She must have done something to his Mad Enhancement. It has been highly inconsistent."

"A faulty summoning?"

"The opposite I fear. If she gave him free reign on when to activate the Mad Enhancement we might have a unique case on our hands."

"As if a god appearing wasn't bad enough." The report about the Fuyuki Grail War had said that gods, no divine beings in general, were not allowed in the summoning process. The Throne of Heroes would not have such beings stored in it, right? What had Ootori done? The mysteries around her kept piling up.

"The greatest light in the proverbial darkness is that woman's passiveness. She is strictly an observer and has no interest in supporting her lapdog." Caster spun a ribbon around her finger while thinking for a while. "That aside, there is one person that might be able to counter our ugly friend."

"Who?" He couldn't think of anyone with that skill set.

"You will not like the answer." She winked and then another pair appeared on the board. It were the unmistakable faces of Lewy du Rézny and his one-eyed Servant.

"Damn right I don't." He glared at the emotionless eyes of the former Executor.

"I know you'd rather avoid that man for the rest of your life - however short that might be - but the grim knight in his entourage is quite gifted."

"What do you mean?"

"Lancer has a Noble Phantasm that seems to be able to break through the Mad Dog's armor." She raised a finger and poked it through the fabric of her purple-black dress.

"After the beating Rézny received today, he might go into hiding." Collingwood was pessimistic. "And we haven't seen any sign of Lancer after his battle with Archer."

"Something tells me that that rude man is not finished quite yet."

"Where did you get that from?" He raised a brow.

"The stars told me so." She declared confidently.

"Hah?" His eyes glazed over.

"Do not look at me so! Astrology is a legitimate study. Wise people have predicted the undulations of fate countless times using the stars themselves." Her eyes were lighting up.

"Sometimes you say things that really fit your looks." He said dryly.

"Insult my impermanent appearance if you will, but do not take astrology lightly! What is your Chinese Zodiac?" She pointed at him full of desire to prove herself.

"Why would I know something so useless-" Just as he wanted to wave it off he suddenly had a vague memory of something. Someone had asked him the same thing once… some kids in the orphanage. He didn't remember their faces or their voices, but the enthusiasm… it was quite similar to Caster's. "…Snake I guess."

"Oho, what a villainous choice." She held a hand in front of her mouth to hide her fake shock.

"You can't choose when you will be born." He sighed.

"Hmhm. Then let the stars speak through me." She raised her hands to the ceiling, completely ignoring the fact that it was the brightest day outside their dark apartment. "You are 23 years old." She suddenly declared.

"!" He didn't manage to suppress his surprised reaction in time. Her self-satisfied grin was outrageously annoying.

"Bullseye?"

"What has that to do with predicting anything? You just made a lucky guess." He leaned his chin on one hand and looked away unimpressed.

"It was far from lucky. I took all the recent 12 years cycles into consideration and based my assumption on the current year, your apparent age and personality."

"What part of that is astronomy?!" He let his head sink. She had just used simple math and circumstantial evidence.

"Everything is connected in some way. I cannot divine the future, but I can make a very good guess." She gave him a softer expression for once. "After all that is all advice really is."

"Fine. Your intuition is better than any star sign to me." Seeing her frail expression he felt that he had no choice but to go along with her.

"I'm honored, Master." She just had to curtsey again. "To return to the topic then, we would have to convince that scowling man to take down the Mad Dog."

"There is only the tiny problem that he wants to kill me on sight."

"Is that truly a problem?"

"Assuming you don't want to switch Masters… I guess this is where your plan comes in?" He connected the dots.

"Ah ah ah, we still have more to go. If we put that deadly triangle aside for now, we still have another urgent issue on our hands." She spun the white board on its axis and the top went down. Now what had been slumbering at the bottom was suddenly right on top of everything.

Leroy Derickson and his mysterious Servant.

"He ran away with his tail between his legs and as amusing as that was…" Caster smirked darkly.

"…he is going to come back for revenge." Collingwood squinted his eyes at the face that was half-covered by dark-blue hair. This guy was the most dangerous Master of all. Not because he was more skilled than the others, but because he had no regard for anybody. Nothing was controlling him; there was not a single shackle of reason on this guy. If he had to shred every last person in this city to meaty bits to reach Rézny or any other prey, he would do it.

"If he takes out your boxer friend, we will lose our counter for the big guy. And there is also the matter of his Servant, that sneaky creeper."

"If the original Classes apply, then it should be an Assassin." There were only two classes of the seven left and he somehow couldn't imagine that Ryouko Tohsaka would summon a weak Assassin. She was a prideful person who preferred to crush enemies with a cold smile. If she couldn't establish her dominance to the world, then she would consider that a failure.

"Mhm. As part of this system I can confirm that we have only the seven classes you know. Sure enough, such a cowardly specimen can be nothing else but an Assassin." It was strange to hear her speak badly of cowards, considering the tactics. "In all seriousness, he is the scariest Servant in this Grail War."

"What?" Collingwood turned to her in surprise.

"You may put this on my intuition again." She shrugged. "I do not like that _thing_." Her mouth barely opened as she hissed those words. While she mocked and belittled people with nicknames and wit, she never showed clear dislike. What she saw in that nebulous Servant must have been extraordinarily evil.

"Then we should take them out first."

"Oh?"

"Did you think I would be afraid when I heard that?" He stood up and walked to the white board. "We can't win this war if we let our fear control us. Doesn't matter if the scariest guy comes first or last, in the end we will defeat them all." He pushed the board so hard that it kept spinning on its axis until it was back in its original orientation.

The arrows pointed all over the board revealed the relationships that had formed in this first week of the war. There were still far too many mysteries for his liking and most of those arrows coming their way were not encouraging, but for his wish, for the salvation he sought, no battle was too gruesome. No challenge was too much.

"You falter so easily, but you still won't give up. Like a petulant child." Caster looked up to him with a mixed expression. Then she threw the pointing stick aside and stretched her arms. "Nothing less of my partner! It would not be interesting otherwise."

"I can't figure you out either, _partner._ " Collingwood smirked dryly. But he didn't feel bad about it at all. After last night he had decided to trust Caster… at least a bit. "Now tell me about that great plan of yours." He demanded.

"See, you did change your tone after. From slightly impatient, to strongly impatient." She giggled. "Listen up then. This is the grand unveiling of my greatest magic trick!"

* * *

Another hour passed as Collingwood discussed the plan with Caster. They ended up arguing a while, but ultimately he caved in. To think she would be this daring, well he had no right to talk. The amount of trickery required to pull it off was a big uncertainty to him, but he would bet on this hand rather than draw new cards from the pile.

As he kept thinking of their next move he felt himself dozing off. He had trouble keeping his eyes open and got startled every time he almost drifted off.

Unable to bear it any longer he got up and staggered into the kitchen. Some coffee would raise his spirits and mind back to working capacity. Caster had a distaste for the brew and didn't touch it, so he was fairly certain it wasn't empty yet. Everything else was liable to disappear without his input.

As he grabbed the coffee-maker and opened the lid to fill the beans inside, he could hear the light steps of the ever-present girl approaching. She really didn't like the spirit form much, huh?

"Master, you should just accept your body's craving and surrender to sleep." Her words were so light it almost sounded like a lullaby to him.

"This is nothin'… I'm used to it." He hadn't slept properly in years. Even in his hut he had always felt the threat of the Enforcers on his back. Sleep was only a limited resource for the sake of replenishing energy. If he didn't have to he would rather…

"You are not alone anymore. There is someone who will keep watch at the fire while you sink into this comfortable darkness." Caster put a hand on his arm that was shakingly trying to insert the beans.

He waited until his blurred vision returned to normal and then finally nodded. The couch was waiting for him like a trusty companion already.

"Why is it that you like this thing so much? This must be terrible for your back." Caster shook her head dismissively.

"Why are you acting like my mother now?" He retorted and let himself fall on the folds of the couch.

"Huh? Did you finally realize my mature charm?" Her ears perked up.

"Keep dreaming…" He yawned and then closed his weary eyes.

"So you are saying I am cute rather than ladylike?"

"Shut up." He muttered before drifting off.

* * *

 _She watched him leave the world of the waking with a subtle shift in expression. How stubborn he was. Resisting the inevitable was not always a virtue._

 _At least in his sleep he was not grimacing all the time. There was a trace of that uncertain young boy in his face when she looked at him from this angle._

 _It was time again. She as well had to close her eyes to see what he saw, to get closer to that truth._

 _Caster leaned back in her armchair and gave herself to the world of dreams._


End file.
